Sweet Intoxication
by tongarisangel
Summary: Wolfwood's wife Millie is dead, Vash is in love with a mystery girl, and Meryl and Knives (OOC) are in pursuit of a mass murderer. Little do they know that danger is lurking around the corner. R&R [COMPLETE]!
1. Desert Rose

Vash wandered along the long dirt road aimlessly, thinking about Meryl. How he longed to be with her, holding her in his arms, caressing her tender lips. In the three months that she had been gone, he felt that his heart left with her. He looked up at the two suns hovering in the blue sky above and prayed that she would come back soon. With a sigh of despair, he sat down on the ground and pulled out his beloved gun, polishing it with the sleeve of his infamous red trench coat.  
  
An hour passed and he remained on the ground, still polishing his precious gun over and over again. He finally held it up and examined it, lowering it and placing it back in its holster. As he did this, a bullet whizzed past him, barely missing his left ear. He turned in the direction in which the bullet came and saw a tall figure holding a smoking gun. Vash carefully approached the figure, keeping a hand on his concealed gun.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked, pulling gently at his still concealed gun.  
  
"Do you wish to know my name?" asked the figure, pointing the smoking gun at Vash.  
  
"I asked a question, now give me an answer," demanded Vash, pulling out his gun and aiming it at the figure.  
  
"No need to get violent, sir. My name is Saria."  
  
"Saria, eh? Well, I'm Vash."  
  
"Vash? As in Vash the Stampede?"  
  
"Yes," replied Vash, slowly lowering his gun. Saria lowered hers and placed it in its holster, eyeing Vash all the while, never moving or blinking.  
  
*He is really a nice looking guy. Blonde hair, aquamarine eyes....I could really fall for him...*  
  
"So, Saria," began Vash, "are you new to the area?"  
  
"Yes, I am afraid so," she replied, looking into Vash's eyes. Vash stared into hers and became speechless.  
  
*She is beautiful...wait! What am I thinking? I am forgetting about Meryl...but she has been gone for so long and hasn't called me. Maybe she found someone else? Well, she must have forgotten about me...maybe I should forget about her? Well, Saria is here, and she is beautiful...maybe I could...*  
  
"Mr. Vash?" Saria was shaking Vash's shoulders gently, bringing him out of his thoughts.  
  
"I'm sorry, miss," said Vash, blushing and rubbing the back of his neck. "You know what? Come to my place and stay as long as you would like."  
  
"That would be great, if you don't mind putting up with me."  
  
"Of course not Saria. My home is your home."  
  
Vash turned on his heel and began to slowly walk down the road, Saria hurrying after him, joining him at his side. Vash looked at her out of the corner of his eye and began thinking of ways to win her heart.  
  
*Maybe this time away from Meryl isn't as bad after all. Saria seems like a really nice girl and maybe I could try and make her mine?*  
  
"You had better watch your thoughts, Vash," said Saria jokingly.  
  
"You can hear my thoughts?" asked a surprised and startled Vash.  
  
"No, silly, of course I can't. After all, I am only human." Saria focused her attention back on the road in front of her and continued to giggle to herself.  
  
Vash couldn't help but notice how her long blonde hair flowed behind her in the wind and made her seem like a girl you would only meet in your dreams. Her crystal blue eyes and tall average figure added to her amazing features. Vash became mesmerized by her, continually staring at her and never looking ahead of him. 


	2. Thinking of Vash

Meryl looked out of the window of her hotel room and began to think about Vash. How she longed to see him again, but then she wondered if he still thought about her. She had meant to call him, but she never had the time to, seeing as she was still in pursuit of the person who killed Milly.  
  
She slowly walked away from the window and sat on the edge of the bed that was hers, placing her head in her hands, sobbing silently until she heard the door unlock. She looked up to see Knives standing in the doorway carrying what seemed to be dinner. Knives stared at Meryl and noticed the distressed look upon her face.  
  
"Are you alright, Meryl?" he asked, approaching her slowly.  
  
"I was just thinking about Vash again," she replied, moving closer to Knives.  
  
"Don't even think about him anymore if it causes you too much pain. He hasn't bothered to call you, so I would forget about him. He doesn't really love you, but I know someone who does. Would you like to know?"  
  
"Who?" asked Meryl, now standing closer to Knives.  
  
"I do," replied Knives, taking Meryl into his arms and kissing her tenderly on her lips, moving his hands up and down her back and dropping their dinner on the floor. Meryl kissed back and wrapped her arms around Knives' neck, holding him in a passionate embrace that neither wanted to release from. Knives pulled out of the kiss and looked deep into Meryl's eyes. Meryl felt her heart melt and rested her head against Knives' chest.  
  
"Shall we take a walk out in the moonlight and amongst the stars?" asked Knives, stroking Meryl's shoulder length black hair.  
  
"I would love nothing more," she replied, looking up into Knives' blue gray eyes. He nodded and they left the hotel room hand in hand. 


	3. Shared Past

Vash and Saria approached the massive house in which Vash lived, Saria's eyes widening as she stared excitedly at the house.  
  
"This is your home?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
"Yes, this is my home," replied Vash, taking Saria's hand. "Shall we go in?"  
  
"Yes, we shall." They walked into the house and Saria immediately squealed with joy. Vash smiled as she looked about the house wide-eyed, looking at everything that decorated the interior.  
  
Saria was intrigued by how beautiful the house was, but mostly by a portrait that hung on the wall above a table that held a vase with a single rose. She walked over to the portrait and began to examine it.  
  
"Vash, is this who I think it is?" asked Saria.  
  
"That's Rem," replied Vash, walking over to Saria's side.  
  
"How did you know Rem?"  
  
"She took care of my brother and me when we were young and living on the project SEEDS ship. She was like our mother, seeing as we really didn't have one. She looked out for us and took care of us after one of Steve's daily beatings. She loved us and we loved her. I remember what she used to call me and Knives, and it seems like every time I remember those words, I can hear her whisper them in my ear and feel her holding me tight. 'My little angels.' Rem loved us, and when she died, it tore me up, but I can't say the same for Knives."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"Knives never really liked humans and we went out separate ways after the ship crashed, but back to the story. Rem's death about killed me inside and I was never the same man again." Vash wiped a tear from his eye and stared at the portrait of Rem.  
  
"I remember her vaguely," said Saria.  
  
"How did you know Rem?" asked Vash.  
  
"She was my foster mother. My real parents died when I was young and Rem took me in. She cared for me every day and made sure that I was happy, until the day she decided to go to that ship. She left me with her sister and told me that she loved me. I knew she did and I also knew, in my mind, that it was someone else's turn to have her as a mother. Everyday I prayed that she was safe and would come back to visit, but she never did. And then came news of the ship crashing and that there were no human survivors. I was crushed and life had no meaning anymore. My mother, well my second mother, was gone forever."  
  
"What happened after that?"  
  
"Well, I was so emotional and unstable that Rem's sister sent me to counseling and eventually began to see me and my instability as a problem. She couldn't handle me anymore, so I was back in an orphanage and was eventually adopted by some man, and I all I remember of him are his many beatings given to me every day."  
  
"Was his name Steve?"  
  
"No, but his brother was named Steve. I learned all my self-defense and gun training from my foster father, though he eventually grew to love me." Saria wiped a tear from her eye and continued. "And then I was alone again. He went after a gunshot wound to the chest, but before he died, he told me, and I quote, 'You are my daughter, my pride and joy. Never sell yourself short in life and always remember that I love you'. Then he went, and again I fell into darkness. I returned to our home and collected my things, venturing out into the world. 'I spent my teenage years with him and now I am an adult,' I would tell myself. So, here I am, two years later and still alone."  
  
Vash grabbed Saria's hand and gently stroked it with his rough hand. "You aren't alone," he said. "You have me." Saria looked up into Vash's aquamarine eyes and smiled brightly. Vash couldn't help but become entranced by her eyes. He became lost in them and slowly drifted from reality.  
  
*She feels alone just as I do. She even knows Rem. We have so much in common. If only I could find a way to tell her how I feel...*  
  
Saria's mind wandered away from reality as well and she fell into a daze, still staring into Vash's eyes.  
  
*I wonder what he is thinking...is it about me? Oh how I hope so! I feel that we have so much in common and I think that I might fall in love with him. Oh how I would love to...*  
  
Her thoughts trailed off and away from her as Vash kissed her tenderly on her lips. She fell deeper into the kiss, wrapping her arms around Vash's neck. Vash wrapped his arms around Saria's waist and gently massaged her tongue with his.  
  
*She has fallen for me...and I have fallen for her...*  
  
*Oh he's fallen for me! And I have fallen for him as well...*  
  
They remained locked in each other's tender embrace, neither wanting to let go any time soon. 


	4. Bedtime Buddies

Knives sat quietly at the round table in the hotel room, polishing his gun and watching Meryl sleep out of the corner of his eye.  
  
*She looks so peaceful and beautiful when she sleeps. Her gently breathing, her quiet sighs, her soft moans...they all make me want to lie there with her, but what would she say if she woke up and found herself wrapped in my arms? Would she accept me or push me away? Oh well, only one way to find out...*  
  
Knives slowly rose from his chair, placing the gun on the table and walking over to where Meryl lay. He slowly slid in under the covers and pulled Meryl into his arms. She did not wake up and Knives fell asleep to her gently breathing.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Vash pulled his hands up and placed them behind his head as he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He began thinking of Meryl again and wondered how she was doing. He missed her terribly, but he quickly blotted her out of his mind.  
  
*She has me worried sick and doesn't bother to call. As far as I'm concerned, she is out of my life, and probably a part of someone else's. Saria is here now, and she loves me...well, I think she does. I'll find out soon enough...*  
  
Just as Vash was drifting off to sleep, a loud crash of thunder shook the windows of the house and caused the ground to tremble. Vash thought nothing of it and continued to drift off during the thunderstorm. A few moments later another loud crash of thunder like the first shook the house and Vash abruptly opened his eyes. He bolted up and listened to the sound of footsteps rushing towards his door. The bedroom door flew open and Saria stood in the doorway, trembling violently.  
  
"Is anything wrong?" asked Vash.  
  
"Nothing is wrong," answered Saria.  
  
"You wouldn't happen to be scared of the storm would you?"  
  
"Of course not!" snapped Saria in protest. Another loud crash of thunder shook the house and Saria ran forward and jumped into Vash's bed. "Okay, I am frightened of thunder," admitted Saria, starig into Vash's eyes.  
  
"I will keep you safe," said Vash. "Now rest your head on my chest and get some rest. You've had a long day." Saria nodded and rested her head on Vash's chest.  
  
Vash gently stroked Saria's hair and placed his chin on Saria's head, closing his eyes, still listening to the the continuous, violent thunder, and feeling Saria wrap her arms tighter around his waist.  
  
*I never want this to end. I want this forever...* And with that thought, Vash finally fell into a deep sleep.  
  
*~* More coming soon, I promise*~* 


	5. After the Storm

Meryl awoke to a bright morning sun beaming through her hotel room window. When she fully opened her eyes, she noticed that she was wrapped in someone's arms, looking up and realizing that it was Knives' arms she was wrapped in. His slow, steady breathing warmed her face and his slowly rising and falling chest gave her an erotic sensation full of many pleasures. She pulled her left arm up and wrapped it around Knives' chest, gently squeezing it. She closed her eyes and placed her head gently in the space between his chin and his chest.

Knives slowly opened his eyes and saw Meryl nestled in his arms. He pulled his right arm up and stroked Meryl's short black hair as she looked up and met Knives' light blue eyes. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her, feeling the warmth of her lips against his and falling deeper into it. He pulled out of the kiss and stared into Meryl's eyes, smiling and holding her closer to him.

"Meryl," he began, "I love you."

"And I love you," answered Meryl.

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"What about Vash?"

"What about him?"

"Don't you love him?" Meryl shifted in the bed and looked away from Knives.

"I did," she answered, "but he is gone now and you are here." Meryl looked back up at Knives and pulled him into a long, passionate kiss. Knives held Meryl tight and promised to himself to never let her go and to never let her down.

The violent storm had come to an end and the early morning sun brightened the once dreary skies. Vash was wakened by the glorious rays of sunlight that danced along the floor of his bedroom. Saria was still sound asleep, curled up next to Vash. He gently stroked her blonde hair with his right hand, stroking all down her back and up again.

_This is truly a Heaven-sent angel. So peaceful, so beautiful, so loving. I want to hold her in this tender embrace for as long as I live. I truly love her…_

"I love you Vash," Saria said in a sleepy whisper. Vash looked down at Saria and noticed that she was half awake and half asleep.

"Saria?" whispered Vash, pulling Saria up closer to him. She opened her bright blue eyes and stared into Vash's eyes of aquamarine. She smiled and wrapped her arms tighter around Vash's chest.

"Good morning Vash," she said brightly.

"Good morning Saria," said Vash in return.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, and you?"

"Very well to be honest."

I heard you whisper something in your sleep this morning. Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

That you love me." Saria froze at the words that had just come out of Vash's mouth.

_Oh no! I've talked out again…and this time I spoke my feelings about Vash! No turning back now…I guess that I have to tell him now…_

"Saria?" asked Vash, stroking Saria's chin.

"Yes, Vash," she began, "I love you." Vash became speechless as her words seeped into his body and melted his heart.

_Oh God! She loves me! I feel the same way for her, but I can't help thinking of Meryl. I loved her, but now she is gone…and probably loving someone else. Saria loves me and she would never leave or betray me, not that Meryl has betrayed me, but that's beside the fact. Oh, how glorious of a day today is! I guess I have to tell her my feelings as well…I'm sorry Meryl…_

"I love you too, Saria," said Vash, still stroking Saria's chin.

"Honestly?" Saria's eyes became glazed over with tears, some running down her cheeks.

"Yes, I do." Vash pulled Saria closer to him and kissed her lips tenderly, blotting out the painful memories of Meryl. Saria tightened her grip on Vash and pulled him as close to her as possible. Vash did the same in return, taking in her sweet ecstasy, dreaming all the while of possibly spending the rest of his life with her.

_I love her and I honestly want to marry her, but what if she wants children? I am incapable of having any after that damned fight against Legato. Damnit, I hate this…_

"Vash, can I tell you something?" asked Saria, a serious tone in her voice.

"Sure," answered Vash.

"I'm…well…I'm pregnant."

"What!?"

"I'm just kidding, but seriously, I can't have children."

"What do you mean?"

"I am infertile and my body can't handle a baby, so I can't give you a child if we do indeed marry."

"Saria, I can't have children either, not after that damned fight four years ago."

"So, you're not angry?"

"Why would I be angry? I love you."

"And I love you." Saria snuggled up against Vash and held onto him as tightly as she could. Vash breathed in and sighed as Saria closed her eyes and fell back asleep. Vash stroked her hair and closed his eyes as well, falling back asleep and dreaming of one day asking Saria to marry him. All was silent and the two lay together, peaceful and in love.

Sorry it took so long to update…school is getting to be really crazy. I know, it's kinda cheesy but hey, it's gonna get better, I promise! Chapter 6 will be posted soon!


	6. The Laments of Nicholas D Wolfwood

Life had grown hard for Nicholas D. Wolfwood as he painfully lived on without his loving wife by his side. Everything seemed to remind him of her: the sun, the wind, their children. Veronica resembles her mother so much, and Alexander has her cheerfulness. he thought to himself. He loved his children, but it pained him to be around them because of the close resemblances to their mother.  
  
And now Veronica is married and is pregnant with her first child. I hope that the baby is growing well. Maybe I should call her...  
  
Wolfwood rushed to the phone and abruptly removed it from the cradle, dialing Veronica's number. He waited for two rings and heard the gentle voice of his daughter on the other end.  
  
"Hello?" she asked.  
  
"Veronica, its dad," said Wolfwood happily.  
  
"Oh my God! I haven't heard from you in a while. How have you been?"  
  
"I've been managing to live, but it's hard for me. I'm sorry that I haven't called in a while. How have you been?"  
  
"Well, Damon and I are preparing for the baby and we are getting more and more anxious by the minute. I remember the day that I told you and mom the news. She was so excited. It's hard to believe that it was seven months ago that she passed on. Only two months along and my mother was murdered. Daddy, it's so hard without her."  
  
"I know darling, believe me, I know. Hey, I was thinking about making a trip to come and visit you. Would you mind?"  
  
"Not at all! You are welcome here anytime, and we have a spare room here so you can stay a few days."  
  
"I don't want to seem like a burden to you, seeing as the baby could come any day now."  
  
"I want you here when your first grandchild is born. Damon wants advice on how to be a father, and I want both of you holding my hand when I'm in labor. I need you here."  
  
"I'll pack my things right away and be there either this evening or early morning."  
  
"I so look forward to seeing you Daddy. I'll inform Damon of your visit and there will be a room for you when you come."  
  
"I'll see you soon. I love you."  
  
"I love you too. Bye Dad." "Bye Veronica. I'll see you soon."  
  
"Get here soon! Bye now." Wolfwood waited for the click at the end of the other line before returning the receiver to its cradle. He then rushed to his room and began to pack his things.  
  
As he rummaged through his closet, he came across Millie's wedding dress, thinking again and finally speaking aloud to the unruly spirit that haunted him.  
  
"I am renewing my ties with my children and am living my life as well as your Millie. I love you and always know that you are not forgotten." With that said, he began piling his clothes into his suitcase and began preparing for the journey ahead of him. 


	7. For You I Will

Knives bore the weight of the guilt on his shoulders, feeling as if he had betrayed his brother by falling in love with Meryl. He stared at the ground and thought about the past few months. Vash had held Meryl so close at Millie's funeral, comforted her after, and above all, he loved her.

_I wasn't there for them at the time and I shut them out, being the stubborn asshole as usual. Now Meryl loves me and I don't deserve her. But Vash hasn't bothered to call or check up on her. Does he really care that much about her? Oh well, I'm here now and I'm changing who I am. I'm going to love Meryl more than that blonde headed idiot of a brother I have…_

Knives felt a hand gently rest upon his shoulder and he ceased all thought. He looked up and saw Meryl standing beside him. He placed his hand upon her hers and stood up.

"Meryl," he began, "I know that I haven't always been there for you, and I'm going to change my ways."

"What do you mean?"

"I promise that I will love you for as long as I live."

"Vash promised me the same thing. Are you going to follow through with your promise?"

"I swear Meryl. I am going prove to you that I'll be faithful."

"How will you go about doing that?"

"This might be too soon to ask, but," Knives paused and lowered himself to the ground, resting on one knee. He stared up into Meryl's eyes and took a deep breath. "Meryl Stryfe, will you marry me?"

"What did you just say?"

"Meryl Stryfe, will you mary me?" repeated Knives, still staring up at Meryl.

"I…well…" Meryl trailed off and began thinking of the day that they buried Millie and how Vash had comforted her so.

"Meryl, it's going to be okay," whispered Vash, cradling a hysterical Meryl in his arms.

"Vash, she was my best friend and now she's gone," wailed Meryl, sobbing into Vash's chest.

"I know that it's hard, but you have to think positive. She's in a better place now. Just don't forget her. Keep her in your heart always."

"I will." Meryl ceased her sobs and kissed Vash tenderly on his lips, trying to forget the painful memories of Millie Thompson. 

_This can't be happening to me! I know that Vash hasn't called, but I love him. But now I think I love Knives, but he wasn't there at the funeral when I needed comforting, but he is here now trying to avenge for not being there. Vash, I'm so sorry baby…_

"Meryl?" asked Knives softly, still staring up into Meryl's eyes.

"Yes Knives," replied Meryl. "I will marry you."

Knives rose from the ground and kissed Meryl tenderly on her lips, picking her up and swinging her around and around. He had never been so happy in his life. He now knew that someone did indeed love him with everything that she was and lived for and that she would always care for him. Nothing would ruin his happiness, and he would make damn sure of it.


	8. Veronica

Veronica rushed around the house in a frenzy, trying to clean the already immaculate house and make it "presentable" to her father. Damon had gone to town to do the grocery shopping for her and to get other things to stock their house with. As Veronica neared the end of her frenzy, she rested on the large couch in the living room, wincing in pain as the baby kicked hard against her stomach.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, rubbing her stomach. "Mommy is going to take it easy from now on, I promise." She closed her eyes and fell asleep, rest welcomed after a long night of pain from the baby. 

Damon hurried back home with the groceries and other things that Veronica had asked him to get for her. He approached the front door and placed the bags he had been carrying on the porch and began fumbling around in his pocket for his keys. He pulled them out and unlocked the door, picking up the bags he had put down and opening the door. He pulled the key out of the lock and kicked the door shut behind him, making his way to the kitchen.

He placed the bags on the island in the kitchen and began emptying the bags of their contents, placing them in the cupboard. He was halfway finished with this task when he realized that the house was silent with no other movement than his own.

_Veronica should be running through the house like a madwoman cleaning, but she hasn't been in here to greet me. Oh God! Where is she? I didn't see her when I came in…_

"Veronica!" he called, rushing through the long entrance hallway. He opened every door to every room downstairs and dashed up the stairs, checking every room up there as well. Panic filled his body when Veronica was nowhere to be found. He dashed back down the stairs and opened the living room door, panic leaving his body as he found Veronica lying on the couch sleeping.

"Veronica?" he whispered, kneeling on the ground next to his wife and gingerly stroking her hair. Veronica blinked her eyes open and gazed sleepily up at her husband.

"Damon, you're home," said Veronica rubbing her eyes and sitting up.

"Lie down baby."

"Dad's coming and there is so much to do Damon."

"Veronica, the house is already immaculate, but I'll take care or everything. You just lie down and rest."

"Thank you so much Damon."

"Anything for the woman I love." Damon kissed Veronica on her forehead and picked himself up off of the ground, leaving his wife alone to rest.

Okay, I wrote this chapter originally to separate the last chapter and make a cliffhanger but then I realized that it was too short so this is just here to be here. Chapters will get better.


	9. The Moment of Truth

Vash awakened to the ringing of the phone. He jumped out of bed and rushed across the room to the stand on which the phone and answering machine rested, picking up the phone before the answering machine clicked on, ready to bite off the caller's head.  
  
"Hello?" asked Vash angrily.  
  
"Vash? It's Nick," answered the man on the other line.  
  
"Good Lord! Nick, how've you been?"  
  
"I've been living."  
  
"Damn, it must be hard without Millie huh?"  
  
"It is."  
  
"How's Veronica? Has she had the baby yet?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, I'm about to make my way to January to see her, and no, she hasn't had the baby yet."  
  
"Tell her that Uncle Vash says 'Congrats' and 'Hello'."  
  
"Will do. Well, I'd better be off then. I'll call after the baby has been born."  
  
"Bye." Vash placed the receiver back on the cradle and walked back over to the bed, jumping back in and kissing Saria's forehead. Saria looked up at him, smiling and resting her chin on his chest.  
  
"Good morning," she said, kissing Vash's chest.  
  
"Don't you mean good afternoon?" retorted Vash. Saria giggled and pushed herself up, kneeling on the bed.  
  
"I'm going to go and make some lunch. I'll call you when it's ready." She kissed Vash's forehead, leaped from the bed, and rushed out of the room.  
  
Vash rolled out of the bed and walked across the room to the bathroom, deciding to take a shower before lunch. He turned the shower on and hopped in, planning his marriage proposal to Saria.  
  
The hot water was welcomed by Vash, rinsing him of the sand and dirt from the previous day. It had all happened so fast: meeting Saria, sleeping in the same bed with Saria, falling in love with Saria. But hey, he was Vash the Stampede, a hopeless romantic. After all, he did ask Elizabeth to marry him the split second he met her that day. What would be so wrong with marrying Saria now?  
  
He pulled the shampoo from the rack hanging under the shower head and squeezed some into his blonde locks, removing all the dirt and gel that had settled in. He placed the bottle back on the rack and rubbed his long blonde hair vigorously, still pondering the proposal.  
  
What if she doesn't say yes? What if this is all a lie? Doubt began to fill Vash's mind as he rinsed the soap out of his hair. Why wouldn't she say yes? She did say that she loves me. Vash grabbed the conditioner and squeezed some into his clean hair, removing all the knots that had formed. He placed it back on the rack and continued to gingerly rub his scalp with the cool liquid.  
  
A ring! What about a ring for her? I don't even have a ring! Vash began to panic as he rinsed the conditioner from his hair and grabbed the loofa from the side of the tub and soaped it up, cleansing his body of the dirt and grit that still clung to him. As he continually cleansed himself, the thought finally came to him. The ring he had bought for Meryl. He would use that one. He rinsed his body off and turned the shower off, pulling the curtain open and wrapping a towel around his scarred body.  
  
He walked across the bathroom to the counter and grabbed his comb, running it through his long golden locks. He stared at himself through the mirror and grimaced at his appearance. He hated the scars his body bore. Imperfection. He couldn't stand them. They left too many bad memories. He took his gaze off of them and stared at his face, placing the comb down and stroking the blonde hairs that projected from his chin.  
  
He opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out his shaving crème and razor, closing the door and staring once again at his face. He popped the top off of the shaving crème can and pushed the button so that the cool gel covered his hand. He set the can down and rubbed the gel with his hands to make the lather, covering his chin, neck, and the area above his mouth.  
  
He took the razor and gently stroked his face, removing all the stray hairs that had grown what seemed like overnight. He winced in pain as he cut his cheek, covering the blood spot with a piece of toilet paper. He filled the sink with warm water and tossed the razor in to soak, grabbing a wash cloth from underneath the sink and wetting it with the water that filled the sink.  
  
He tossed the cloth aside and opened the medicine cabinet once more, placing the shaving crème back and razor back in and taking the aftershave lotion and cologne out, shutting the door once more.  
  
He unscrewed the top of the aftershave lotion and gently shook a few drops from the bottle, placing the bottle down and splashing the puddle in his hand onto his neck. He screwed the cap back on and grabbed the cologne, squirting it onto his neck and all around his body. He put the cologne and aftershave back in the medicine cabinet and pulled out his mega-hold hair gel.  
  
He opened the bottle and poured a large amount of gel into his hands, putting the bottle aside and spiking his hair up. After about five minutes and a quarter of a bottle, his hair was finally perfected and he left the bathroom, turning the light off behind him.  
  
He walked across the bedroom to the large armoire that stood next to the window, pulling out boxers, a button down shirt, and a pair of black slacks. Vash pulled the towel from around his waist and let it fall to the ground around his feet, pulling on his boxers so as to avoid being fully nude. He whipped his shirt around his back and pushed his arms through the long sleeves, buttoning it down to his pelvis, pulling on his slacks soon after. He pulled a belt from the armoire and placed it through the loop holes of the slacks and proceeded to his closet for his boots. He sat on the bed and pulled his boots on, carefully lacing them up. He was dressed for the occasion.  
  
The ring was hidden in the armoire amongst many boxers, shirts, and slacks that were neatly folded inside, so it wouldn't be that hard to find. Vash pulled it out from underneath his boxers and shut the armoire doors. He took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed, contemplated what he would say and how he would say it. Damn, this was harder than he thought. All thoughts came to a screeching halt when Vash heard Saria's melodious voice echo from the kitchen.  
  
"Lunch is ready!"  
  
Vash slowly rose from the bed and walked as slow as possible down the stairs. This was it, the moment that would determine everything. He took a deep breath and shoved the ring in his pocket, jogging down the stairs.  
  
Saria placed two plates piled with food onto the dining room table and waited for Vash. In the meantime, she poured steaming hot coffee into the two mugs next to their plates. Any time of the day was perfect for breakfast and coffee.  
  
"Vash, its getting cold!" she called, sipping her coffee slowly.  
  
The door to the dining room opened and in walked a handsome, well-groomed Vash. Saria smiled at him as he kissed her on the cheek and sat down across from her. He picked up his fork and began to eat very slowly, Saria following suit. The quiet and peaceful lunch that they were sharing together was soon interrupted by the ringing of the phone. Vash put his fork down and rushed into his office to answer the blasted phone that seemed to interrupt every peaceful moment he had with Saria. 


	10. Facing Vash

Knives stood staring into Meryl's eyes, beginning to imagine a life with her. He gently kissed her lips and felt himself drift up to cloud nine. 

Meryl's heart and soul leaped in unison with joy with Knives', but she couldn't help but feel one last pang of sorrow about losing Vash.

_Vash, I'm sorry for this, but I must move on. I know you meant well by sending your brother with me and staying with Nick, but I never thought it would end this way. Baby, I'm sorry…_

"Is something wrong?" asked Knives, slightly pulling his lips apart from Meryl's, resting his forehead against hers.

"No," she replied.

"Should we go inside and tell everyone?"

"Yes, we should." Meryl grabbed Knives' hand and they walked back to the lobby of the hotel hand in hand. They decided against taking the elevator when they saw the large crowd gathered around, pushing and shoving each other as they waited for the lift, and decided to take the stairs instead.

They climbed three flights of stairs until they reached the floor that their room was on and dashed down the hallway, racing each other to the door. Meryl was in the lead until Knives decided not to go easy on her and flew by her, reaching the door seconds before she did.

"Not fair!" yelled Meryl. "You cheated!"

"No I didn't," retorted Knives. "I saved all of my momentum for the end." 

"Smart ass."

Meryl giggled and leaped into Knives' outstretched arms. He held Meryl tight as he fumbled in his pocket for his keys, successfully finding them. He placed the key in the lock and unlocked the door, opening it and dashing inside, tossing Meryl on the bed. Knives retreated back to the door for the key, retrieved it, and dashed back towards Meryl, jumping onto the bed.

"I'm going to go and get a shower," said Knives. "Why don't you call Vash and tell him the news?" Meryl nodded as Knives kissed her on her forehead and retreated to the bathroom.

Meryl got up off of the bed and walked across the room to the round table where the phone rested. She sat herself down in one of the chairs and stared at the phone, hesitant to pick it up and dial Vash's number. Suddenly her mind became boggled with many different feelings and thoughts at the same time, causing her great pain and a rather large headache.

Fear. How will he react? He's going to be so angry and he'll feel betrayed. What if this breaks the newly formed bond between Vash and Knives?

Depression. Vash was there when I needed him, so why am I marrying Knives? Vash surely isn't here now when I need him. The day he sent Knives with me and decided to stay with Wolfwood caused me great pain and sorrow. If this a true reason for breaking my ties with Vash and marrying Knives?

Love. I loved Vash and he loved me. But now Knives says he loves me and I love him as well. Is it just lust or is it real love? Why does this always happen to me?

Meryl held her head in her hands and cried until her subconscious thoughts caused her to come back to reality and face her task at hand.

_You can do it Meryl Stryfe…No I can't…I don't want to hurt him…You love Knives and he has taken care of you unlike Vash…I hope I'm doing the right thing…_

Meryl finally conquered her fears and picked up the receiver, dialing Vash's number. She closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat, waiting until the eternal ringing was answered on the other end.

"Hello?" answered a deep familiar sounding voice.

"Vash?" replied Meryl.

"Yes?"

"Hey, it's Meryl. We need to talk."


	11. No Place Like Home

Wolfwood rode through the desert to January, the city in which Veronica and Damon resided. His suitcase was fastened tightly to the back of his motorcycle, jam packed with clothes and other necessities for his stay at Veronica's.  
  
He arrived in January around four p.m. and proceeded to Veronica's home. He came upon a large two-story house that was supposedly Veronica and Damon's and parked his bike in the front, unloading himself and the suitcase.  
  
He walked slowly up the steps and rang the doorbell, stepping back and waiting for the door to open. The door was opened and Veronica stood in the doorway, smiling happily to see Wolfwood, tightly embracing him. Wolfwood felt like he was home again.  
  
"I'm so glad to see you Daddy," whispered Veronica, kissing Wolfwood on his cheek.  
  
"I'm so glad to see you too, Veronica," responded Wolfwood, running his fingers through her long black hair and kissing her on her cheek.  
  
"Come on in and I'll show you to your room." Veronica pulled away from the embrace and closed the door behind Wolfwood, turning on her heel and walking down the hallway and upstairs. Wolfwood followed her, admiring the house and how nice it had turned out to be.  
  
He remembered when they had first moved in and he and Millie had come to visit them. The house was decrepit and falling apart and the conditions seemed to be unlivable. He had tried to convince them to sell it and buy a nicer one, but Veronica wouldn't listen.  
  
_'No Daddy,' said Veronica. 'You wait and see, this house is going to be the house of my dreams.'  
  
'Veronica, it's falling apart,' he argued.  
  
'Give it a chance.'  
  
He sighed and nodded his head, hoping that the newly weds had not made a mistake.  
_  
He examined the once cracked walls that were now covered with coats of paint and the cracks filled in. The floors had been redone and all the doors had been replaced. This old decrepit house turned out to be the house that Veronica had always dreamed of.  
  
He walked up the stairs and into the guest bedroom where Veronica stood, lightly tapping her foot, shooting Wolfwood a humorous glance of scolding for taking so long.  
  
"Look, I'm pregnant and I made it up here before you," scolded Veronica, rubbing her rather large stomach, still glaring at Wolfwood. "You are getting old."  
  
"You're damn right," joked Wolfwood, slumping over and holding onto the door handle for support. "I need to start playing the role of grandpa after all."  
  
Veronica laughed as Wolfwood straightened up and lifted his suitcase, carrying it to the bed. Veronica attempted to take the suitcase from him, but received a slap on the hand for doing so.  
  
"I'm quite capable of doing it myself," said Wolfwood sarcastically. "I'm not that old. I'm only fifty-two for God's sake!"  
  
He tossed his heavy suitcase onto the bed and turned to face his daughter once more.  
  
"Do you remember that large cross that I had when you were younger?" he asked, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette and his lighter. He retrieved them and placed the cigarette into his mouth, lighting up as he did.  
  
"Yes, I do," replied Veronica, covering her mouth and staring at the cigarette in Wolfwood's mouth.  
  
"Well, that thing was a lot heavier than this suitcase, so don't worry about me carrying heavy things. I can manage."  
  
"I won't worry about you lifting heavy things. Could I ask you a favor?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Would you mind not smoking in the house? It's bad for the baby."  
  
Wolfwood froze and stared at his daughter, memories that he didn't want to have right now floating through his head.  
  
_...Wolfwood pulled his cigarette and lighter from his pocket and placed the cigarette in his mouth, lighting up and placing the lighter back in his pocket. Millie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and sighed.  
  
'Uh uh uh,' she scolded, waving her finger in front of his face. 'Smoking is bad for the baby.'  
  
'You're right dear.' Wolfwood tossed the cigarette to the ground and stamped it out.  
_  
Wolfwood took the cigarette from his mouth and put it out in his hand, looking up at Veronica and smiling, pain searing through his body.  
  
"Sorry," he mumbled, biting his lip to avoid yelling out in pain. It had been so long since he had pain inflicted upon him that that tiny burning sensation felt as if someone had shot in twenty times in the same part of his body.  
  
"We should go downstairs and check on Damon," said Veronica. "Supper should be ready soon." Veronica walked out of the room and Wolfwood followed.  
  
As he walked down the stairs he silently thought to himself...damn it was good to finally be home again. 


	12. Now or Never

Vash slammed the receiver onto the cradle and stormed out of his office and into the dining room, sitting down across from Saria, slowly sipping his coffee.  
  
"Is anything wrong?" asked Saria.  
  
"My brother is engaged to the woman who was supposedly in love with me," replied Vash, anger rising in his voice.  
  
"Who is she?"  
  
"Meryl Styfe, the woman of my dreams, the perfect one for me, the love of my life. I should never have sent Knives with her." Vash placed his coffee mug on the table and rested his head in his hands, all plans of the proposal slipping from his mind.  
  
Saria rose from her chair and walked over to Vash's side, placing her hand on his shoulder. Vash lifted his head and looked up at Saria, tears welling in his eyes.  
  
"It's going to be okay Vash," cooed Saria, bending down and kissing Vash's forehead.  
  
Vash remembered when Rem would tell him those same words after one of Steve's beatings.

__

__

_'Vash, it's going to be okay,' said a distant voice. 'I'm here. Open your eyes.'  
  
Vash slowly blinked open his eyes and tried to sit up, but fell back down, wincing in pain.  
  
'Relax Vash,' said the voice. 'Just open your eyes.'  
  
Vash obeyed and slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the tears that had welled up in his eyes as well as the blood that covered them. He focused and looked up at Rem, slowly forming a smile.  
  
'Rem?' whispered Vash.  
  
'I'm here Vash,' she cooed, pushing Vash's long blonde hair out of his eyes. 'It's going to be okay. Just relax.'_

"Vash?" Vash jumped and came back to reality, looking over his shoulder at Saria and smiling.  
  
"I'm sorry baby," said Vash, standing and taking Saria's hands in his.  
  
"What were you thinking about?" asked Saria.  
  
"Just something that happened to me when I was a child. I was thinking about my brother and Meryl and I came to a realization that I don't love her, but I love someone else."  
  
"Who is that?"  
  
"You."  
  
"Me? Why?"  
  
"Saria, I love you because you care about me and well, yeah. And, in saying all of this, I have one thing to ask you." Vash dropped down onto one knee and stared up at Saria.  
  
"Vash, you're down on one knee," said Saria, staring down at Vash.  
  
"Saria, will you marry me?"  
  
A/N: I know, painfully short, but this is all I want to write for this chapter...saving all the good stuff for later. I'm sorry it's taking so long to update, but I am almost finished the actual writing of it. Will update soon.


	13. Why God? Why?

"Oh my God!" Veronica yelled out in pain as she continually attempted to give birth to her child.  
  
"Veronica, relax," said Damon, squeezing Veronica's hand tighter.  
  
"Breathe Veronica," whispered Wolfwood, gently pushing Veronica's hair out of her eyes.  
  
"Dad, I'm in so much pain," whispered Veronica, slowly breathing in and out.  
  
"Veronica, you are going to really have to push," said Doctor Hieson. "You're almost through."  
  
Veronica closed her eyes and began again the painful process of birthing her child.  
  
"You're almost there Veronica," said Doctor Hieson. "PUSH!"  
  
Veronica screamed and squeezed Damon's and Wolfwood's hands tighter.  
  
"Come on Veronica," whispered Wolfwood.  
  
"It's alright baby," whispered Damon. "You're almost there."  
  
Veronica screamed one last time and pushed with everything she had in her, and after twenty-four hours of labor, the pain was finally over  
  
Doctor Hieson gingerly removed the baby from Veronica, cutting the umbilical cord and passing the baby to the nurses who cleaned the baby and wrapped it in blankets. He rose from the stool he had been sitting on and removed his glasses, staring down at Veronica and smiling.  
  
"Congratulations," began Doctor Hieson, "it's a girl." He took the baby girl from the nurses and placed her in Veronica's arms.  
  
"She's beautiful," said Damon, gingerly rubbing his newborn daughter's forehead.  
  
"Just like her mother," said Wolfwood, kissing Veronica on her forehead.  
  
"God, I wish Mom was here," sighed Veronica, cradling her child.  
  
"So do I," said Wolfwood, tears welling in his eyes. "What are you going to name her?"  
  
"I want her name to be special and I think I have the perfect name."  
  
"What's that?" asked Wolfwood.  
  
"Millie Nichole Bonarie."  
  
Tears welled up in Wolfwood's eyes and, for the first time since Millie's death, he cried. Veronica lifted Millie up towards Wolfwood, signaling that she wanted him to hold his granddaughter. He gently took Millie from Veronica's arms and cradled her in his own.  
  
"Millie Nichole," whispered Wolfwood as he took in all of his newborn granddaughter's features, remembering the day that Veronica was born.  
  
_'Nick, I don't think I can do this,' whispered Millie, straining for breath.  
  
'Yes you can,' I assured her, rubbing her sweaty forehead. 'You didn't say this when you had Alexander.'  
  
'Darling, I don't think I'm going to...OH MY GOD!' Millie screamed and pushed as hard as she could, wearing herself out. This last little burst of energy was the end of her pain.  
  
The doctor removed the baby, cleaned it, wrapped it in blankets, and handed it back to Millie, announcing that it was a girl.  
  
'What are we going to name her?' I asked, admiring my newborn daughter.  
  
'Veronica Elizabeth Wolfwood,' answered Millie, cradling Veronica in her arms. I kissed my wife and rushed out of the room to proclaim the news..._  
  
"Hey Grandpa," joked Veronica, staring up at Wolfwood. "Can I have my baby back?"  
  
Wolfwood gave Millie back to her mom and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He studied himself in the mirror, noticing a streak of grey that had recently formed in his black hair.  
  
"I really am looking like a grandpa," muttered Wolfwood, turning on his heel and walking out of the bathroom, reaching into his pocket for his cigarettes and lighter.  
  
"I'm going out for a smoke," he said, walking out of the room, down the corridor, and to the elevator, taking it down to the lobby and stepping outside of the hospital. He took his cigarette out of his pocket and lit up, resting his back against the wall of the hospital.  
  
"Damnit Millie," cursed Wolfwood, puffing smoke out of his mouth, "why did you have to die? I swear to God I'm going to find your murderer. Why did you have to die?"  
  
Wolfwood dropped to his knees in the pouring rain and let his cigarette fall to the ground.  
  
"Why?!" he shouted, placing his head in his hands, violently sobbing. "Why now? Why did you have to take her from me, from us, now? I don't fucking understand? Why her? Answer me that question God. Why?"  
  
A/N: I know, it's starting off rough, but it is going to get better, just give me a chance. This is my first fic after all . I'll prove this to be one of your favorites, I promise. By the way, I decided to do the memory part different in this chapter because the other way was just confusing. Enjoy! 


	14. Moving On

Disclaimer: I do not own Trigun or any of the characters of this awesome show. If I did, everything would be different.  
  
A/N: This is the chapter where it becomes mostly R rated...you'll have to read and find out why. The next chapter will be mostly R rated as well and other select chapters. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far and has read this story. Thanks for bearing with me! Enjoy!

Meryl dropped her head in her hands and cried, bearing the guilt of hurting the man who had loved her and whom she loved. She couldn't help but question in her mind whether or not she had made the right decision by saying yes to Knives' proposal and leaving Vash out in the cold.  
  
_Of course I made the right decision; after all, Knives did say that he loves me, but he was never there for me before. Is all this a lie? Vash chose to stay with Wolfwood over me, but is that really a good reason for leaving him? Damnit, life is so fucking confusing._  
  
She knew deep down in her heart that she had made the right decision, but her subconscious voice in the back of her head continually told her that she was making a mistake. Was she?  
  
The water had stopped running in the bathroom and the shower curtain could be heard opening. Knives emerged from the steam filled bathroom, hearing Meryl's sobs and rushing to her side to console her.  
  
"Meryl, what's wrong?" asked Knives soothingly.  
  
"He sounded so hurt and angry," whispered Meryl between sobs.  
  
"He'll get over it."  
  
"Knives, Vash loved me, and he is angry now, and hurt as well. I hate hurting people."  
  
"Vash will move on. Don't cry, he probably has someone else. You don't need him." Knives took Meryl into his arms and held her as she slowly stopped sobbing.  
  
"You're right," said Meryl, looking up into Knives' soft blue eyes.  
  
"I am?" asked Knives, staring into Meryl's cool grey eyes.  
  
"Yes, because Vash is probably with someone else and happy. And now, I'm happy and, hell, I'm getting married!"  
  
Knives lifted Meryl out of the chair she was sitting in and sat her down on the bed, kissing her passionately, unbuttoning her blouse and laying her on her back. Meryl grabbed the back of Knives' neck and ran her fingers roughly through his short blonde hair.  
  
"I love you Knives," whispered Meryl, sweet ecstasy filling her voice.  
  
"I love you too Meryl," said Knives, yanking at the buttons on Meryl's slacks and pulling them off of her, leaving her in her bra and thong.  
  
Meryl moved her hands slowly down Knives' back and pulled the towel from around his waist, leaving him naked on top of her. Knives slipped his hand into Meryl's thong and gently removed it, tossing it aside and working her bra off.  
  
Meryl let out a gasp of pleasure as Knives slowly lowered himself on top of her and gently pushed himself into her. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as Knives slowly went in and out, gently kissing her neck and massaging her breasts with his calloused hands. He moaned as he gently pulled out of her and moved slowly back, massaging Meryl's thighs as he began to enter her again with his tongue, moaning more with pleasure.  
  
Meryl gripped the bed posts and moaned louder than before, eyes still rolling into the back of her head. She grabbed Knives by his short hair and lifted him off of her, staring into his pleasure filled eyes.  
  
"Anything wrong?" he whispered, gasping for air.  
  
"It's my turn," whispered Meryl sitting up and pulling Knives to her, rolling him over onto his back.  
  
Meryl closed her eyes and gently rubbed Knives' stomach, going down onto his erection with her mouth. Knives moaned and ran his fingers through Meryl's short black hair, sighing with pleasure. She teased him, massaging him with her tongue, up and down, driving him mad.  
  
Knives pulled Meryl off of him by her hair and pulled her on top of him, rolling over and rapidly moving in and out of her, pushing harder and faster than before. Meryl screamed out and stared up at Knives, sweet ecstasy filling her eyes.  
  
"Oh God!" she yelled, wrapping her arms around Knives' neck, gasping for air. "Harder Knives. Fuck me harder."  
  
Knives moved in and out faster and harder at Meryl's request, making her scream louder than before and giving him a much larger erection than before. He thrust himself harder into her, faster and faster, making the bed move with them. Meryl's body conformed to his motions as he arched his back, adjusting himself into a different position. Meryl opened her eyes and stared into Knives' soft blue ecstasy filled eyes as he ejaculated inside of her, slowly lying back on the bed, allowing Knives to pull out of her.  
  
Knives rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling, gasping for air and glancing at Meryl out of the corner of his eye, watching as she slowly slipped into sleep. Knives closed his eyes and slowly found himself drifting into a much needed sleep, thinking quietly to himself as he did.  
  
_Damn, I love that girl...  
_  
A/N: Okay, so I'm not that good at writing sex scenes, but this is my first fic. Hopefully next chapter will turn out better than this one...it's kinda hard to type this kind of scene with your parents constantly walking in and out. Anyways please review!


	15. Sweet Intoxication

Disclaimer: I do not own Trigun or any of the characters in Trigun...unfortunately...  
  
A/N: I've made it to chapter 15 and I hope everyone is enjoying it...please review so that I know what I can do to make the story better and your opinion of it...Here it goes...  
  
"You want me to marry you?" asked Saria, still staring down at Vash and the large diamond ring he held in between his forefinger and his thumb.  
  
"Yes, I do," answered Vash, standing and staring down at Saria.  
  
"Yes, Vash, I will marry you."  
  
Vash slid the ring he had saved for Meryl onto Saria's finger and wrapped his arms around her, swinging her around in circles as tears of happiness flowed down his cheeks. She had said yes to his proposal and he had finally let go of all the pain he had felt about his and Meryl's separation.  
  
He carried Saria up into the bedroom and closed the door behind them, playfully tossing her onto the bed and jumping onto the bed next to her. Saria kissed Vash passionately and leaped off of the bed, walking briskly over to her suitcase across the room, opening it and removing something, slamming the case shut and rushing into the bathroom.  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Vash, staring at the bathroom door that was now ajar.  
  
"You'll see," retorted Saria, shutting the door completely, leaving Vash in a state of anticipation.  
  
The door opened a few seconds later and Saria stood in the doorway wearing a short black silk gown that barely covered her entire body. Vash's eyes widened at the sight of the very sexy woman walking towards him and jumping on the bed, sitting on top of him and slowly unbuttoning his shirt, passionately kissing him all the while.  
  
Saria removed the Vash's shirt and tossed it onto the ground, running her hands down his scarred chest to his belt buckle, undoing it and proceeding to undo his pants, sliding them off of his slender legs and tossing them aside with the shirt, leaving Vash in his boxers.  
  
Vash rolled Saria onto her back and threw off his boxers, leaving himself exposed to Saria as he removed the gown that covered her body. Saria wrapped her arms around Vash's neck as he stared at her tiny body, trying to decide what to do.  
  
"Stop thinking about what to do and just fuck me Vash," said Saria, pulling him into a passionate kiss.  
  
Vash slowly entered Saria, moving up and down slowly, gradually moving faster and faster until Saria pulled out of their kiss to scream in pleasure.  
  
"Harder Vash!" she screamed, wrapping her legs around Vash's waist. "Fuck me harder! Oh yes!"  
  
Vash thrust himself harder and harder into Saria and their bodies moved in unison with each thrust given by Vash. He moved his mouth to Saria's breasts and sucked on the nipples ever to lightly, listening to the quiet moans coming from his lover.  
  
Saria forcefully rolled Vash over onto his back and forced him out of her, moving down to take in his erection with her mouth. Vash's eyes widened at the force with which she massaged him, moaning with the sweet pleasures that came from this. She moved up and down, faster and faster, listening and reveling in the quiet screams coming from Vash.  
  
_Damn he's sexy when he screams...  
_  
She pulled away and lay back on top of Vash, allowing him to roll her over and enter her again. Harder and harder, faster and faster, constant moaning and screaming, sweet intoxication. Vash closed his eyes and thrust harder into his lover trying not to think of his lack of "sperm production" as he liked to call it.  
  
"Vash, I love you," whispered Saria, kissing Vash intensely.  
  
"I love you too Saria," gasped Vash between the kisses, being forcefully rolled onto his back again, Saria now on top.  
  
She pulled herself off of Vash once again, but this time she rolled over and lay next to Vash, eyes closing and breathing becoming heavy, sleep slowly coming upon her.  
  
"Can we lay here for a while?" asked Saria exhaustedly.  
  
"Yes," replied Vash, wrapping his arms around Saria and closing his eyes, falling asleep to the sound of both of their steadily beating hearts.  
  
Together they fell asleep in each others sweet intoxication of love.  
  
A/N: Blah, not how I wanted it to turn out! Sorry readers, but that chapter was awful and I know that I'll get a lot of bad reviews...brain is definitely fried. Don't hurt me for this God awful chapter... 


	16. Let Her Make It Through, Lord

Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
A/N: Sorry about my lack of writing skills right now...my brain is on overload. Well, here is chapter 16. Please keep the reviews coming!  
  
Wolfwood walked back into the hospital and to the elevators, pushing the button and shivering due to the air hitting his soaking wet body. The doors to the elevator opened and he pushed the button for the seventh floor, leaning against the wall and waiting for the 'ding' to signal his arrival. The doors opened once again and Wolfwood stepped out into the empty corridor, only to be knocked down by a frantic Damon.  
  
"I'm sorry Nick," began Damon, "but there is an emergency."  
  
"What the hell happened?" asked Wolfwood, beads of sweat pouring down his face along with the rain water that dripped from his long black bangs.  
  
"Obviously Veronica wasn't just pregnant with one baby."  
  
"What the...they didn't detect the second baby?"  
  
"Obviously not, but now she and the baby are in distress and we have to get back to her."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
Wolfwood and Damon rushed down the corridor to Veronica's room and rushed in, witnessing in horror the events that were happening around them and Veronica. Heart rate monitors were beeping like mad, oxygen was being given to Veronica, and a team of doctors and nurses rushing around preparing for an emergency delivery.  
  
Damon rushed forward to Veronica's side and grabbed her hand, Wolfwood following suit. Doctor Hieson whipped around from one of the counters that lined the walls of the large room, sitting on his stool at the foot of the bed and preparing Veronica for birth.  
  
"Veronica, I know that you are in pain and distress, but so is the baby and you have to push to get him out," said Doctor Hieson, beads of sweat pouring down his face.  
  
Veronica closed her eyes and pushed with every last bit of strength she had left in her from the first birth, screaming through the oxygen mask and squeezing the hands of her husband and father tighter than ever, nearly cutting of their circulation. Wolfwood brushed the loose strands of hair out of Veronica's hair and bent down to where his mouth was level with her ear.  
  
"Veronica," he whispered, "its okay. I'm here with you. Daddy's here." Veronica opened her eyes and smiled briefly, resuming her screams of pain and distress.  
  
Wolfwood looked over and the scared and anxious Damon squeezing Veronica's hand, noting the beads of sweat running down his cheeks. He glanced over at Doctor Hieson, who portrayed the same image as Damon, but his expression was not one that would give a person a good feeling inside.  
  
_Let her make it through, Lord.  
_  
"One more push and you're home free Veronica," yelled Doctor Hieson. "PUSH!"  
  
Veronica pushed one last time with the little energy she had left, giving birth to her second child. Doctor Hieson removed the baby from Veronica, cutting the umbilical cord and wrapping it in a blanket. He became ominously silent.  
  
Veronica breathed in slowly and stared at the circle of nurses and doctors huddled around what she assumed was her newborn child.  
  
"Where is my baby?" she whispered. "Why isn't it crying?" Damon broke into a cold sweat; Wolfwood's heart stopped beating.  
  
"Where is my baby?!" screamed Veronica. Doctor Hieson turned and faced Veronica, a grim expression upon his face.  
  
"Doctor Hieson," cried Veronica, "where is my baby and why isn't it crying?"  
  
Doctor Hieson looked at Veronica, removed his glasses, took a deep breath, and sighed.  
  
"Veronica," he whispered, "you're baby..."  
  
"My baby is what?" whimpered Veronica.  
  
"I'm sorry Veronica," he continued, "you're baby is...dead."  
  
A/N: I hope that this chapter redeems me from the previous chapter. Yes, I had tears in my eyes when I wrote this chapter, and I know it's sad, but please review. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. Will keep posting as often as I can. 


	17. What Have I Done?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Trigun or any of the characters in Trigun.  
  
**A/N**: Sorry it's taking so long to update! Too much stuff going on, but the good news is that the overall writing of the story is nearly complete, so updates will be coming more often. And without further a do, here is chapter 17. Enjoy!  
  
Vash opened his eyes and looked over at Saria, who was peacefully sleeping by his side, rolling out of bed and walking out of the room, gently closing the door behind him. He walked down the stairs and into the living room, sitting down next to the phone, hesitating to pick it up as he remembered how rude and angry he had been when Meryl told him about her engagement to Knives.

"Vash, please don't be angry," pleaded Meryl, holding back tears.  
  
"How can I be calm about this?" yelled Vash, tears filling his eyes. "I sent my brother with you because my friend needed me and you turn around and accept a proposal from him? HOW CAN I BE CALM?!"

"Vash, please...I'm sorry that I..."  
  
"You're sorry for hurting me, right? Sorry my ass, Meryl."  
  
"You never called, and..."  
  
"How was I supposed to call you when I didn't know where you were? Why didn't you pick up the goddamned phone and call me?"  
  
"I meant to, but I never got the chance to."  
  
"Why? Because you were too busy fucking my brother, is that why you didn't have the chance to call?"  
  
"You know damn well why I'm out here Vash! God damnit! For all I know you could be with someone else."  
  
"You're absolutely right."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I am with someone else."  
  
"What do you...when did this happen?"  
  
"It doesn't matter and it's none of your damned business."  
  
"Vash, I know that you're hurt, but please talk to me."  
  
"I have no more time for you. Good-bye Meryl." __

_Why was I so mean to her? I shouldn't have gotten that angry...I just hope that she isn't mad anymore...Here goes nothing..._  
  
Vash reached his hand over and picked up the receiver, dialing the operator and connecting to Meryl's hotel, impatiently waiting as the phone rang for felt like an eternity. He finally hung up after the twelfth ring and sat in the silence of his large home, still pondering the events of the previous day.  
  
He knew he shouldn't have gotten that angry, seeing as he had just slept with a girl he had just met, but Meryl sleeping with Knives, that was a different story. She betrayed his trust, hurt him deeply, but then he got to thinking. He betrayed her trust too.  
  
The ring meant for her rested on a stranger's hand instead of hers. Why hadn't he proposed to her before she left? How long had this affair been going on with Knives? Had it been since she left, or was it a recent flair? Questions continued to pour into Vash's mind as silent tears of guilt streamed down his face.

Had he ruined everything between him and Knives and between him and Meryl? Could this all be mended somehow? All these questions troubled Vash, but one in particular stuck out from the rest...  
  
_What have I done?_

**A/N: **Again, painfully short...sooo sorry! Please give me feedback and suggestions so that I can work in what you would like to see. Thanks for all the reviews! More soon!


	18. Not Again

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
**A/N**: I've made it to chapter 18! I won't ramble this time...so here it is... Chapter 18!  
  
Wolfwood sat outside of the hospital in the rain that continued to pummel the earth, tears streaming down his cheeks as he smoked another of his endless supply of cigarettes and mourned the death of his first grandson, Nicholas D. Wolfwood Bonarie, named after him. Angrily, he tossed his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out, allowing his frustration and depression to vent from his body.  
  
"What more do you want from me?" yelled Wolfwood, looking up at the dark abyss that was the sky. "You've taken my wife and now my grandson. WHAT MORE DO YOU FUCKING WANT FROM ME?"  
  
He dropped to his knees and threw himself down onto the soaked sand, sobbing and beating the sodden ground violently with his fists.  
  
"There's only so much pain a man can take," whispered Wolfwood between sobs. "When is mine going to end?"  
  
He picked himself up off of the ground and walked back into the hospital, proceeding to the elevators to retreat to Veronica's room, only to be stopped by one of the nurses working the front desk.  
  
"Sir, you're soaked from head to toe," she said, brushing Wolfwood's soaked bangs from his eyes. "Please take this blanket and wrap it around you before you catch a death of a cold."  
  
"Thanks," said Wolfwood, taking the blanket from the nurse, a faint smile playing on his face. "You're so kind." The nurse smiled and walked back to her station as Wolfwood turned the corner to where the elevator shafts were.  
  
He pushed the up button and awaited the elevator, taking it once again to the seventh floor and proceeding to Veronica's room, which was no longer quiet and joyous, but loud and sorrowful. He pressed his ear to the door and placed a palm on it as well, bracing himself in case the door was opened.  
  
"Why us Damon?" wailed Veronica.  
  
"I don't know," whispered Damon, choking back tears.  
  
"Hopefully they can bring him back like Doctor Hieson said."  
  
"Me too, Veronica. Me too."  
  
Wolfwood gently turned the knob on the door and slowly opened it, tiptoeing into the room. Veronica turned her attention to her soaked father and smiled, patting a spot next to her on the bed, motioning for him to sit. Wolfwood sat down next his daughter and hugged her tight, allowing her to sob on his already drenched shoulder.  
  
"Veronica," he whispered, "it's going to be alright."  
  
"I'm so upset," wailed Veronica.  
  
"Everything is going to be alright," consoled Wolfwood. "Just relax and calm down."  
  
"How can she relax and calm down?" snapped Damon. "You never lost a child. You don't know the pain she's going through..."  
  
"Damon," whispered Veronica coldly.  
  
"Hush! You don't know what she's going through! You just don't know."  
  
"Don't you tell me that I don't know her pain," snarled Wolfwood, his smoky grey eyes full of fire and anger. He sat Veronica upright and stared Damon in the eyes, his glare more deadly than Knives' used to be.  
  
"You don't know," repeated Damon. "You've never lost anything or anyone precious to you."  
  
"Damon, how can you say that?" whispered Veronica, weeping more than ever at her husband's spiteful words.  
  
"DON'T TELL ME I DON'T KNOW MY OWN DAUGHTER'S PAIN!" yelled Wolfwood, rising from the bed and crossing the room to where Damon sat. "Losing my wife was pain enough to kill me. She was everything to me and when she was murdered for no reason whatsoever, I suffered so much pain, and I still am. So don't you tell me that I don't know her pain."  
  
Wolfwood turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut and pounding his fist against the wall, tears streaming down his face.  
  
_How dare he tell me something like that? The knife in my heart has just been twisted deeper in...how much more pain will I have to endure before I die? Why this again, Lord?  
_  
He closed his eyes and tried to block the memories of Veronica's birth out of his head, unwilling to remember that painful day.

----------------------------------------

"Mr. and Mrs. Wolfwood, I have some terrible news," began the doctor, slowly approaching the couple, a grim expression upon his face.  
  
"What's the matter Doctor?" asked Millie, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Only one of your children made it through the birthing process. The other, however, apparently went into distress inside of you and didn't make it out alive. I'm sorry, but one of your children is dead."  
  
Wolfwood's heart skipped a beat as tears flowed down his cheeks at the devastating news, trying to block out Millie's wails of absolute depression. What had gone wrong? 

------------------------------------------  
  
_I didn't think that something like that would pass on through generations...what else could go wrong with my life, Lord?_  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Wolfwood was pulled out of his memories and thoughts by a question thrown at him by his despairing daughter, whom had left Damon alone in the room.  
  
"I'm fine," answered Wolfwood, wiping the tears from his eyes and smiling at his daughter, who, to no avail, seemed to believe that her father was indeed alright.  
  
"I'm sorry for what Damon said in there," said Veronica sadly, leaning against the wall next to Wolfwood. "Is there something else bothering you besides what he said to you?"  
  
"Yes," answered Wolfwood with a sigh.  
  
"Can you tell me?"  
  
"Your mother and I never told you this, but you were a twin at birth, but, sadly, your brother didn't make it through. The same thing happened as happened to you. The child went into distress inside of your mother and was born dead. Please don't be mad at me for not telling you this before."  
  
"That explains what happened with my child."  
  
"We didn't think that it would pass to your generation, but obviously it did. We thought it better if you didn't know about your twin, but now I know that we were wrong in not telling you."  
  
"No, you were right in not telling me, because if you would have, I probably wouldn't have grown up the same, you know? Besides, Alexander was enough for me to handle as a child."  
  
"I'm glad that you understand."  
  
"Please come back inside and stay the night here. I'm sending Damon home for the night because I am disgusted with him at the moment and I think that we should spend the night away from each other."  
  
"I'll just go back to your place and come back in the morning. You need your husband with you. I love you Veronica."  
  
"Love you too, Dad."  
  
Wolfwood smiled at his somewhat happier daughter and walked down the corridor towards the elevators, pushing the down button to summon the elevator to his level. He stepped inside of the elevator and rode it down to the lobby, exiting it and walking out of the hospital and to the parking garage to where his bike was parked, hopping on and riding out into the storm.  
  
A night alone from the hospital and Damon would be just enough to calm his nerves.

-----------------------------------------  
  
**A/N**: Well, what do you think? This is my longest chapter yet, and I hope that they will continue to remain this long, hopefully longer. Well, please review so that I can get your input and know what I can do to make this better! .


	19. I Never Meant to Hurt You

**Disclaimer**: Once again, I do not own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun, unfortunately.  
  
Vash sat the darkness of the living room alone, surrounded by silence. He closed his eyes and dozed off, memories of Meryl still floating around in his head.  
  
-----------------------  
  
"Vash, I want you to come with me," said Meryl, "but you need to be here with Wolfwood."  
  
"I would go, believe me," said Vash, grabbing Meryl's hands and holding them in his.  
  
"I love you Vash."  
  
"And I love you, Meryl. I don't want you to go alone, thought. You know how many dangers are out there."  
  
"Who will I go with?"  
  
"I'm sending Knives with you."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Vash awoke abruptly from his sleep and cleared the painful memories of that day away, sitting with his chin resting in his cupped hands and thinking quietly to himself.  
  
_Why did I send Knives with her? Damnit! I'm such a fool...I should have gone with her and brought Wolfwood as well...DAMNIT!  
_  
Vash sat upright in his chair and reached for the phone, dialing the operator and connecting to Meryl's hotel once again.  
  
_What's done is done...she's better off...  
_  
Vash took a deep breath and smiled as the phone was picked up and answered by the sweet, melodious voice that was Meryl Stryfe's.  
  
"Hello?" she asked.  
  
"Meryl? It's me, Vash," answered Vash, his voice trembling as he spit out those words.  
  
"Oh...hi," whispered Meryl.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry for getting angry with you the last time we talked. I shouldn't have gone berserk on you and said some of the things I said. Can you possibly forgive me?"  
  
"Of course I can. I understand why you were mad and you had every right to be."  
  
"I had no right to say the things I said to you. Meryl, if you really and truly want to marry Knives and feel that he will be good to you, go for it. I have no objections."  
  
"Vash, are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"May I ask you something?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Who is this mystery person you refused to tell me about the last time we spoke?"  
  
"Her name is Saria, my desert rose."  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
"Yes, and as a matter of fact, she is my fiancée."  
  
"Well, I'm happy for you and I have no objections. Oh, um, Knives wants to speak with you."  
  
"Okay?"  
  
Vash waited silently as Meryl passed the phone off to Knives and a soft click was heard in the background, a signal that Knives would now speak.  
  
"Tongari," began Knives, "Meryl and I were talking the other night at dinner and she told me that she has a feeling that you are in danger."  
  
"What?" asked Vash, a slight chuckle in his voice.  
  
"I'm serious Vash. Just, promise me that you'll watch out for yourself."  
  
"I will."  
  
"By the way, Meryl and I are giving up on this search, seeing as we have gotten nowhere in the past months, and we are returning to December in two days, so why don't you and your new love interest come over for a visit?"  
  
"That would be great. Just give us a call when you two are back in town and we'll be over."  
  
"Will do, and Vash?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Take heed of my word, okay? Don't blow it off like you always do."  
  
"Will do. Bye Knives."  
  
Vash hung up the phone and walked out of the living room and back upstairs to the bedroom where Saria still lay asleep. He tiptoed over to the bedside and sat down beside his beautiful fiancé, gently pushing hair out of her eyes.  
  
"Saria, wake up," whispered Vash, still stroking Saria's hair with his rough, calloused hands. Saria moaned and slowly opened her eyes, staring up at Vash and smiling.  
  
"What time is it?" she asked sleepily.  
  
"Well, we've slept for a couple more hours after we woke up at eleven, so it's about four o'clock now."  
  
"Oh shit!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"That much time has passed and we have so little time to plan our wedding."  
  
"What are you...?"  
  
"Hush! Vash, I know it's soon, but can we get married tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure, but how? Who? Where?"  
  
"Here in the house. I know someone who can marry us. Leave it all up to me."  
  
"Should I call Knives, Meryl, and Wolfwood?"  
  
"No, let's surprise everyone."  
  
"But, Saria, don't we need witnesses?"  
  
"My friend will marry us and he can be a witness as well. Trust me."  
  
"Okay, whatever you want."  
  
"I'm going to go downstairs and call my friend who can marry us. You go ahead and get dressed so we can go to town and buy the rings."  
  
"Alright, and after I'll meet you downstairs."  
  
"Okay. I love you so much Vash. Thank you for making all of my dreams come true."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Saria kissed Vash on the cheek and rushed out of the room, singing all the way down the stairs. Vash turned and stared at his reflection in the mirror next to the bathroom door, smiling from ear to ear.  
  
_I can't believe it! I'm marrying the most wonderful woman in the world...all of this is happening so fast...  
_  
Vash turned from the mirror and opened his armoire, pulling out a white dress shirt, black slacks, and a belt, and tossed them onto the bed, slowly pulling off his thin sleep pants and t-shirt that he had put on before he had called Meryl.  
  
He pulled his shirt around and buttoned it down, pulling on his slacks and adjusting them, sliding his belt through the belt loops and buckling it. He walked into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet, pulling out his mega-hold hair gel, squeezing some into his palm and vigorously rubbing it through his golden locks.  
  
He put the bottle back into the medicine cabinet after the ten minutes it took for him to get his hair to its sheer perfection and rushed back into the bedroom and to his closet, retrieving his boots and putting them on his feet.  
  
He rose from the bed and took one last look at himself in the mirror next to the bathroom door, smiling at his reflection.  
  
"Vash the Stampede," he said to his reflection, "you are one lucky man."  
  
Vash laughed to himself as he walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs to Saria, thinking of how his life would be changing with his marriage to this wonderful, one of a kind woman.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
**A/N:** I hope you liked this chapter, if not, let me know. Please review! I am happy to inform you that the rest of this story should be posted within the next month, so be on the lookout! R&R! 


	20. Redemption

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
**A/N**: Here's chapter 20...oh, and a warning...**THIS CHAPTER HAS EPISODES 23, 24, & 26 SPOILERS!!!** If you have not seen these episodes, I strongly suggest that, if you don't want them ruined for you (somewhat), then skip to the next chapter, otherwise, **YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!** Enjoy!  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------  
  
Meryl walked back into the hotel room and across to where Knives sat, sitting next to him and wrapping her arms around his neck, feeling a slight tension in her lover.  
  
"Vash and his love interest are coming for a visit in two days," said Knives, glancing at Meryl out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Oh, that's wonderful!" exclaimed Meryl, tightening her grip on Knives, only to be slightly pushed away from him.  
  
"After all, we do have to meet this new love of his. Give him our approval, you know?"  
  
"I'm sure that she's a nice person and will be good to our Vash. Knives, what's bothering you? You seem awfully tense."  
  
"I've been holding a grudge against Vash for not joining me in my venture to rid this desert planet of all humans, and for him shooting me those one hundred and thirty years ago. And now I feel as though we'll never be close like we were as children.  
  
"All the nights I crawled into bed with him, crying from a nightmare, he wrapped his arms around me and showed me brotherly love and compassion. He stayed with me at night while I cried after one of that spider's, Steve's, beatings and tirades of how I was a monster and how he hated me and would kill me if he could.  
  
"Vash was there for me when no one else was, and I tried to destroy his life. I killed the one spider that he cared about, that woman Rem. I re- routed the project SEEDS ship's course and caused all of the ships to crash onto this desert planet, but she saved most of the people, and I was angry about that.  
  
"About ten years later, I made out prize possessions, our .45 revolvers, which contain a dark matter that unleashes our Angel Arms, a weapon of mass annihilation. Vash became frightened of the power that we wielded and after an argument, he shot me in the leg, betrayed me, and he ran away.  
  
"I then decided that I would make Vash suffer for all of eternity, so I began the formation of the Gung-Ho Guns. About eighty years after our little 'argument', we crossed paths in July after I had murdered one of Rem's incessant descendants. We fought and I showed him the true power he wielded by unleashing his Angel Arm, which, in turn, severely injured me and destroyed the city of July.  
  
"After that incident, I had my faithful servants attack him, but they failed horribly, so, in return, I had my most faithful, Legato Bluesummers, kill them one by one, and in the end he died from the bullet to his head from Vash. He killed Legato to save you and your large friend.  
  
"I still stopped at nothing, and in our final battle, which I thought I had won, Vash shot me several times and I thought for sure he would leave me for dead, but he didn't. He threw off his coat and carried me back into the city, saying all the while that he forgave me for everything that I had ever done to him.  
  
"He forgave me, and what do I do? I hold a damned grudge."  
  
"Knives, you changed after that, and Vash knows that you are a different person now. I think that this visit will do some good for the both of you. Are you going to be alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Look, I'm going to go for a walk and then to get dinner. I'll be back in a little while."  
  
"Would you like me to go with you?"  
  
"No, you just stay here. Don't worry, I'll come back."  
  
Knives kissed Meryl on her cheek and left the room, leaving Meryl in a state of worry for her distraught lover. He walked out of the hotel and into the town which was still bustling with activity. The two suns had not set yet and he smiled to himself as he walked to a cliff nearby to watch the glorious sight.  
  
He sat on the rocky surface and leaned back, bracing himself with his hands, closing his eyes and remembering the days that he and Vash would spend in the Recreational Room back on the project SEEDS ship.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------  
  
"Isn't it beautiful, Knives?"  
  
Knives opened his eyes and turned his head in response to his brother's question, smiling at his brother's innocent question.  
  
"Yes, Vash, it is beautiful."  
  
"Is this what our Eden will be like, Knives?"  
  
"Of course, Vash, because you and I will be living in it."  
  
"Yeah, you're right."  
  
Vash turned away from Knives and stared up at the "sky" above them, his large teal eyes full of happiness and serenity. Knives did the same and thought quietly to himself.  
  
_We will make this our Eden...just you and me Vash...just you and me...  
_  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------  
  
The two suns were slowly falling below the horizon to the rise of the first of the five moons. Knives breathed in deeply and stared at the beautiful setting of the suns, noticing, for the first time, how marvelous and spectacular a sight it truly is.  
  
_No wonder Vash loves watching this so much.  
_  
The peace and serenity that L.R. Town had added to making the sight a true spectacle that everyone should experience once in their lifetime. As Knives thought about all of these things and reflected on his past, tears slowly formed in his eyes and slowly began to graze his cheeks.  
  
It pained him terribly to remember how he once wanted to destroy every human being that walked this desert planet, and how he had wanted his brother to suffer for their mishaps and for the times that Vash had shot him. Why had he been like that, he would never know.  
  
Vash had redeemed him from his old ways and showed him a new way of life. Knives hadn't been receptive at first, his body still full of hate and scorn for Vash and all man-kind. It had taken him about a year before he finally warmed up to his brother and the two insurance girls, and it had taken him that entire year to admit that he had kept Wolfwood alive after his battle with Chapel the Evergreen.  
  
_I never really understood why I had kept him alive, but something inside of me told me that I couldn't let him die, and I secretly took him from the church and healed him, not understanding why I couldn't let him die, and then I realized why on the day he returned home from hiding and to the tall girl. When they saw each other, there had never been so many tears and squeals of joy.  
_  
He never understood how they made the relationship work, seeing as Wolfwood was about three years older than Millie, but he never questioned it. That day was they day that Knives had truly been redeemed.  
  
The two suns had finally set and two of the five moons hung serenely in the night sky, surrounded by stars. Knives pushed himself up off of the ground and climbed off of the cliff, making his way back to the hotel and to his worried fiancé, stopping at a diner on the way and picking up something for dinner for the two of them.  
  
"Can I help you?" asked the man behind the counter.  
  
"What is your specialty?" asked Knives as he leaned over the counter.  
  
"Well, I would suggest the club sandwiches or the chicken," replied the man behind the counter as he slowly dried a glass.  
  
"Give me two of the club sandwich meals and two bottles of water to go."  
  
"That all?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it."  
  
"Your total comes to twelve double dollars and two c cents."  
  
Knives pulled his wallet out of his pocket and paid the man behind the counter and sat at a table while he waited for his food to be brought to him. He couldn't help but notice the number of people that were dining in this little "hole in the wall" as he heard some refer to it as. As he watched the people eat and chat and enjoy each other's company, he couldn't help but notice one man who sat alone by the window.  
  
As Knives continued to stare at him, he thought he saw a familiarity in the man, and dropped his jaw in horror as he realized the familiarity. It couldn't be him, he was dead. He took a bullet to his head and surely he couldn't survive that. It just wasn't possible. But who could mistake that hair and those eyes, those empty eyes that he always had, full of hate and pain. Knives shook his head and took his gaze off of the man. It couldn't be him, it just couldn't be.  
  
"Here's your order, sir," said a tall blonde girl holding a large white paper bag in her hand.  
  
"Thank you," said Knives, standing and taking the bag from the girl, giving her two double dollars as a tip and leaving the diner, relieved as he did.  
  
He couldn't help but wonder about the man in the diner as he walked back to the hotel in the light of the five moons positioned in the sky. Why did he still cross Knives' mind? He knew it couldn't be him, but why did he have that gut wrenching feeling that it was and could very well be him?  
  
He walked into the lobby of the hotel and to the elevators, pushing the up button and taking the elevator up to the third floor where his and Meryl's room was. He exited the elevator and walked down the hall to their room, unlocking the door and walking in to the sound of the shower running. He placed the food on the small round table at the other end of the room and sat in one of the chairs that were placed around it, waiting anxiously for Meryl to finish her shower and come eat with him.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------  
  
The lone man across watched as the blonde man who had been staring at him left the diner and walked across the town to the nearby hotel. He laughed to himself as he put another bite of food into his mouth and watched the people in the diner as they walked in and out, cheerful and garrulous.  
  
How he hated them all. He wished he would have killed them all that day when he had the chance to. He had control of their minds and could have them do as he wished, but instead he let them live and allowed Vash the Stampede to shoot him. He placed his hand over the bandage that covered the wound and winced from the pain that shot through his body.  
  
He rose from his table and left the money he owed along with a tip and left the diner, leaving the town behind him. He knew that he and the blonde man would cross paths again, sooner than the blonde man would want to.  
  
**A/N:** I hope that I got the name of the town right and the types of guns that Knives and Vash have right...if I didn't, then please don't hurt me. Well, how did you like that chapter? The only way I will know is if you review, so review!! 


	21. Guns and Roses

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
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Veronica walked slowly up the stairs and into Millie's room, cradling Millie in her arms. Damon followed close behind her and aided his wife in singing their newborn daughter to sleep for the first time.  
  
Veronica had not fully forgiven Damon for the incident at the hospital the night that Millie was born and Nicholas had not made it through. She thought of their argument that night and how different nurses had come in through the night to make sure that they had not killed themselves. Instead of tears of joy and happiness filling the room, tears of fury, anger, and hate filled the room along with much yelling.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
"Damnit Damon, you've upset my father," said Veronica angrily, shutting the door behind her.  
  
"I'm glad I did," said Damon, placing his hands behind his head and leaning back against the sofa that was in the room. "He didn't deserve the right to tell you that everything would be alright when everything won't be alright. He just doesn't understand what we're going through."  
  
"HELLO DUMBASS! YOU WERE AT MY MOTHER'S FUNERAL WERE YOU NOT?!"  
  
"No need to yell. And why the use of such names all of a sudden?"  
  
"You are a real expert at pissing me off, you do realize this right? My mother was kidnapped and found dead in the desert, killed for no good reason. I just found out that I had a twin when I was born, and you wanna know what happened to that twin?"  
  
"What happened?" asked Damon sarcastically.  
  
"My twin died. That was the beginning of my father's pain, and my mother's murder was just the icing on the cake. Everyone told him everything would be alright, and they didn't understand his pain, not even Uncle Vash of Aunt Meryl. My mother was close to them, but not as close as she was to my father. He knows what pain is like, and you had no right to say that he doesn't understand my pain."  
  
"I still think he had no right to..."  
  
"FUCK DAMON! He looked death straight in the face, but death didn't overcome him. He suffered from bullet wounds and a severe loss of blood, but after a year he returned to my mother."  
  
"When did he tell you this? Was it outside during your pity talk?"  
  
"He told me that when Mom died. Damnit, why are you such an egotistical jerk all of a sudden? You're not the man I married."  
  
"Veronica, my son just died..."  
  
"You act like you're the only fucking one who lost a damned child!"  
  
"Watch it Veronica. There are other people in this hospital you know?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. Was I getting too loud? I'll quiet down."  
  
"Yeah, you're really hurting my ears."  
  
"DAMON STOP BEING SUCH AN EGOTISTICAL ASSHOLE! I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE OF YOU AND YOUR ALL ABOUT ME SHIT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! I'M LEAVING!"  
  
"Veronica, calm down..."  
  
"NO, I WON'T CALM DOWN, DAMNIT!"  
  
"Is everything okay in here?" asked a voice outside of the door. Veronica turned and walked to the door, opening it up to the nurse standing out in the hallway.  
  
"Yeah, everything is fine; we're just upset about our child's death, that's all."  
  
"Well, please keep the noise level down to a minimum. Other patients are trying to rest."  
  
"I will."  
  
Veronica shut the door and turned to face her husband, anger still in her eyes.  
  
"Sit down and shut up, you're disturbing everyone's peace."  
  
"Don't you dare tell me to sit down and shut up ever again. I'm getting my stuff and leaving. I can't be in the same room with you any longer."  
  
"I'll go on home."  
  
"Oh no you won't. My father is there and you are not staying in the same house with him. Go to a hotel or something, I can't be bothered, just get out."  
  
Damon got up off of the sofa and grabbed his coat, opening the door and walking out into the hallway, turning his head to look at Veronica.  
  
"I love you," he whispered, closing the door behind him.  
  
At this point, Veronica didn't care if he brought a whore in off of the streets and fucked the girl in front of her, just as long as he left her alone. She was happy to be in the peace and quiet of her room once again.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
"Veronica, you should be relaxing," whispered Damon.  
  
"What do you care?" asked Veronica, turning and leaving the room. She walked downstairs to the living room and stood outside of the door, wiping away the tears that had formed in her eyes.  
  
Why was she crying when she had her newborn child in the house? Why wasn't she happy? Divorce was sounding nice at this point in time.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Wolfwood sat in the living room alone, waiting for Veronica to join him and hoping that Damon would all off of a cliff and break his neck. He decided after five minutes of waiting to call Vash and tell him the news. He picked up the phone and dialed Vash's number, waiting patiently for someone to answer.  
  
"Hello?" asked a familiar voice.  
  
"Vash?" asked Wolfwood.  
  
"This is he. May I ask whose calling?"  
  
"It's me, Wolfwood."  
  
"Wolfwood, how are you?"  
  
"I'm fine, and you?"  
  
"Couldn't be better. Where are you?"  
  
"I'm at Veronica's house in January."  
  
"How is she? Has she had the baby?"  
  
"Slow down, Tongari. She's doing fine and yes, she had the baby, or should I say babies."  
  
"She had twins?"  
  
"Yeah, but there was a tragedy."  
  
"What happened? Oh God, don't tell me..."  
  
"It obviously passed onto Veronica. The same thing happened to her as happened to Millie and I those twenty years ago."  
  
"Is Veronica okay?"  
  
"She's fine, a bit shaken up, but whom here isn't?"  
  
"How are you taking it?"  
  
"I'm fine now."  
  
"What did she name them?"  
  
"Well, the girl was named after Millie, somewhat, and the boy was fully named after me, Nicholas D. Wolfwood Bonarie."  
  
"I'm glad to hear that you all are doing well. Tell Veronica that I said congratulations and that I love her."  
  
"I'll do that."  
  
"By the way, I have some news of my own."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I'm married?"  
  
"What the...you married Meryl and you didn't tell me that this would be happening?"  
  
"Relax, I didn't marry Meryl."  
  
"If you didn't marry Meryl, then who did you marry?"  
  
"I married this girl I just met recently named Saria."  
  
"Always jumping the gun, eh Tongari? Well, congratulations."  
  
"Thanks Wolfwood. Well, sorry to cut it short, but we are expected at Knives' place soon."  
  
"One last thing before you go. What ever happened to Meryl?"  
  
"Oh, she and Knives are engaged now."  
  
"Ah, I see. Well, you'd better get goin Tongari. I'll call you when I'm back in town."  
  
"Alright. Talk to you soon, bye!"  
  
"Bye." Wolfwood waited for the soft click at the other end of the line before he hung up the phone.  
  
Veronica walked into the living room and sat down next to Wolfwood, resting her head on his shoulder, tears still in her eyes. Wolfwood glanced at his daughter out of the corner of his eye and sighed before he spoke, choosing his words wisely.  
  
"Where's Damon?" he asked, hoping that he wasn't still a bitter subject.  
  
"Upstairs with Millie," replied Veronica, heavily sighing as she closed her eyes and allowed tears to flow from her eyes.  
  
"What's the matter cupcake?"  
  
"Damon and I had a fight the night that Nicholas died and there were some things said, mean and hurtful things, and he just doesn't seem like he's the man I married Daddy. I started thinking about divorce and..."  
  
"No, that's never the answer Veronica. Couples have their arguments and fights from time to time, but they make it through."  
  
"But Daddy, Damon said some mean and hurtful things to you."  
  
"He was upset Veronica, and I understand. Look, I don't know the extent of your argument that night with him, but you can't give up so easily and think that divorce is the right answer. You and Damon were brought together in marriage in good times and in bad, and now is the bad time for you both.  
  
"He's probably hurting inside right now, and I don't blame him for lashing out at me, although I didn't appreciate what was said to me. Veronica, you have to forgive him whether you like it or not. I know that it will be tough to, but you have to do it."  
  
"I know, I know, it's just that...oh never mind. I'm dropping it. By the way, who were you talking to before I walked into the room?"  
  
"I was talking to Vash."  
  
"Uncle Vash? How is he doing?"  
  
"He's fine. He just got married."  
  
"To who? Aunt Meryl?"  
  
"No, he married some girl named Saria."  
  
"What happened to Aunt Meryl?"  
  
"She's engaged to Vash's brother now."  
  
"Oh well."  
  
"He told me to give you his love and congratulate you on the baby."  
  
"Tell him that I'll bring Millie to December soon and visit him when you talk to him again. Oh, and tell him that I want him and his wife to come to Millie's christening in a couple of months."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to go to bed and get some sleep."  
  
"You do that. Sleep tight."  
  
"I love you Daddy."  
  
"I love you too Veronica."  
  
Veronica kissed Wolfwood on his cheek and rose from the sofa, walking out of the room and leaving Wolfwood alone once again. He decided to kick back and take a nap himself before Millie woke up crying relentlessly. He fell into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of faceless shadows encircling him in a land of death and despair.  
  
Why did this place seem to haunt his dreams now? Was it because of all of his depression rising inside of him?  
  
He wandered around in the darkness until he came across two faceless figures standing across from each other, one taller than the other, tension between them evident. He could barely see the movements of the two people, but he saw one pull out a gun and aim at the other. A gunshot was heard and the taller of the two fell to the ground, becoming motionless as he fell.  
  
The area Wolfwood was standing in became full blood and...roses? Why were roses floating around ever so delicately when someone had just been shot? Who was just shot and killed right before his eyes? Why did it seem that everywhere he went death followed?  
  
This truly was the Hell that Nicholas D. Wolfwood was living.  
  
**A/N:** Wow, this chapter came out better than I expected, well the end at least. Thanks for the reviews...please keep them coming. I'm updating as often as I can right now, but hopefully if I pull some long nights I can get this thing finished.  
  
I know that dialogue can get quite boring, but in this chapter it was essential to move the story along, otherwise it would have, in my mind, completely and utterly terrible. Anyways...onto chapter 22!!! 


	22. Regretting Ever Leaving Him

**Disclaimer:** Need I say it again? I do not, and will never in my lifetime, own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Vash and Saria approached the large two story house in which Knives lived. Vash parked their car and they both hopped out, walking up the steps and onto the veranda, ringing the doorbell and waiting patiently for an answer.  
  
"Vash, I'm scared," said Saria, fear in her voice.  
  
"What are you scared of?" asked Vash, grabbing Saria's hand and holding it tightly in his.  
  
"I'm scared that they won't like me."  
  
"They will like you, trust me."  
  
"Okay, whatever you say."  
  
Vash smiled and returned his attention to the door that had just been opened, leaping with joy and breaking away from Saria to hug the woman who had opened the door to them.  
  
"It's so good to see you Vash," said the woman, hugging Vash tightly.  
  
"I miss you so much Meryl," said Vash, picking Meryl up off of the ground and swinging her around.  
  
"Long time no see brother," said a man coming forth from the shadows of the hallway.  
  
"Knives!" exclaimed Vash, dropping Meryl and rushing into the house to greet his brother.  
  
"Too long tongari," whispered Knives, hugging his brother tightly.  
  
"I agree," said Vash, pulling away from his brother and smiling.  
  
Knives looked past his brother and stared at the blonde girl who stood in the doorway, fear emanating from her body. "Vash, is she your new love interest?"  
  
"She's not my love interest," said Vash, looking behind him at Saria and smiling. "She's my wife."  
  
"Your what?!" yelled Meryl, placing a hand over her mouth.  
  
"My wife," repeated Vash.  
  
"When did you two tie the knot?" asked Knives.  
  
"Yesterday," said Saria, speaking for the first time and stepping into the house.  
  
"Well congratulations," said Meryl closing the door behind Saria and turning the hall lights on.  
  
"Thanks," said Vash, placing an arm around Saria's waist.  
  
"Why don't we go into the living room and talk about this?" suggested Knives. Vash, Saria, and Meryl nodded and followed Knives into the large, bay windowed living room.  
  
Vash couldn't help but notice something different about Meryl when he had picked her up and hugged her. He couldn't seem to place his finger on what it was at the moment, though, so he decided to shrug it off. Whatever it was, he would find out sooner or later.  
  
"Have a seat," said Knives, sitting down on one of two overstuffed sofas that lined the walls of the living room, Meryl joining him at his side. Vash took a seat in an armchair across from Meryl and Knives, Saria sitting in a similar chair next to her husband.  
  
"So, Saria, tell us more about yourself and the wedding," said Meryl sounding a bit school-girlish.  
  
"Well, for starters," began Saria, "my name is Saria Blackwell, but my friends tend to call me the 'Desert Rose' for some odd reason. I first met Vash one day when I had just entered the town and our love grew from then on, and on one not so ordinary day, he proposed to me. I called a friend of mine, whom is a priest, and he gladly agreed to marry us yesterday and here we are, married and happy."  
  
"What is this friend of yours' name?" asked Knives curiously. "I may know him."  
  
"His name is Mi-Malachi," answered Saria. "Does the name sound familiar?"  
  
"No, it doesn't," replied Knives, nodding and smiling at Vash as he eyed the gold ring on his left ring finger and Saria at the same time.  
  
Saria shifted in her chair and stared at Knives, fear filling her body once more. Knives apparently noticed her uneasiness and grew concerned for his new sister-in-law.  
  
"Is anything the matter Saria?" asked Knives.  
  
"Oh, no," replied Saria, folding her hands in her lap.  
  
"If you need anything, just let me know," chimed Knives, smiling at the nervous girl who sat across from him.  
  
"Knives, why don't you tell Saria what you do for a living," suggested Vash, taking note of the uneasiness in the room.  
  
"The government pays me to gather information on notorious criminals," began Knives. "My newest case has been Lorelei Baroque, the most dangerous criminal around. She is a prime suspect in the murder of someone very close to all of us and I am gathering as much information on her as I can."  
  
"We've been trying to find her," added Meryl, "but, sadly, we've had no luck."  
  
"Where do you work at Knives?" asked Saria interestedly.  
  
"My office upstairs," answered Knives nonchalantly. Saria nodded her head and smiled, grabbing Vash's hand and holding it in hers.  
  
Knives studied Saria intensely, trying to read her aura or her mind. There was something about her that troubled him, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Maybe it was the fact that Vash married her so soon. That had to be it.  
  
"Meryl, where is your bathroom at?" asked Saria.  
  
"It's upstairs next to Knives' office," replied Meryl. Saria nodded and left the living room leaving the three alone.  
  
"Meryl, what happened to the desserts?" asked Knives.  
  
"Oh dear!" exclaimed Meryl. "I forgot all about them. I'll go and get them now."  
  
"You stay here," said Knives, "and I'll get them." Meryl nodded and Knives exited the room in pursuit of desserts and coffee, leaving Meryl and Vash alone together.  
  
Meryl stared at Vash's wedding band and felt a pang of sorrow fill her body, a raging river about to break through a dam. She hated to admit it, but she regretted ever leaving with Knives and felt a pang of jealousy towards Saria. She resented Saria and wanted to rip the ring off of Vash's finger. She had been happy with him and she let him go, falling for Knives and leaving Vash in the cold. Who could blame the man for getting married?  
  
She finally came to the conclusion that she was just angry that they had married so soon. Yeah, that was it. But she couldn't help but remember that one time with Vash, that one time when he had wanted to ask her something but she didn't have time to stay...  
  
------------------------  
  
"Meryl, I have something I want to ask you," said Vash, grabbing Meryl's hand as she walked up the steps and onto the sand steamer.  
  
"Vash, I can't stay," said Meryl, pulling away from Vash and continuing up the steps.  
  
"This won't take long. Please Meryl, give me two seconds."  
  
"Vash, we're about to depart. I'm sure that whatever it is can wait until I come back."  
  
Meryl turned around and kissed Vash tenderly on his lips and ascended onto the sand steamer, leaving her love alone.  
  
-------------------------  
  
_Oh my God! He wanted to propose but I blew him off...damn me and my hastiness...  
_  
"Meryl, what's bothering you?" asked Vash, finally breaking the silence.  
  
"Nothing," replied Meryl, staring at Vash's boots and avoiding his gaze.  
  
Vash knew something was bothering Meryl, but he decided not to pester her about it. After all, she was known to be very irritable and pissy when pestered about an issue. He figured that if she wanted to tell him what was on her mind then she would tell him.  
  
_I could prod through her mind...wait! What am I thinking? Her thoughts are hers alone, not mine to view for my pleasure. Damn, I wish I knew what she's thinking...  
_  
Vash folded his hands and twiddled his thumbs, praying for Knives to hurry with the damned desserts and coffee. He sighed and caught Meryl's glance, silently pleading for her to speak.  
  
"Oh, Vash," she sighed, "are you sure that you're not making a mistake?"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Vash, anger building inside of him.  
  
"You two have only just met and now you two are married. All of this seems to rushed."  
  
"I know what I'm doing."  
  
"I'm sorry; it's none of my business."  
  
The awkward silence that had filled the room before had returned again, this time filled with anger and frustration. Knives entered the room again, bringing with him a tray of donuts and tiny pastries.  
  
"Meryl made the donuts just for you, Vash," said Knives, placing the tray on the coffee-table. "I'll be back with the coffee." Knives left the room again, leaving Vash alone with Meryl once more.  
  
"Aw, Meryl," said Vash as he leaped from his chair and grabbed as many donuts as he could, "I'm sorry for being short with ya."  
  
"It's okay," she replied. "I made your favorite donuts: glazed, chocolate glazed, and jelly-filled glazed."  
  
"VOR DA VEST!" exclaimed Vash through a mouthful of donuts. Meryl couldn't help but giggle at the sight of the Humanoid Typhoon acting like a four- year-old child.  
  
Knives walked back into the living room carrying a tray with four cups of coffee, placing it on the coffee table next to the tray of desserts and taking his and Meryl's cups. He sat down next to Meryl and handed her her cup of coffee, taking a sip of his own.  
  
Vash took his cup of coffee off of the tray and rested back in his chair, waiting for Saria to come back into the living room and beginning to worry whether or not she was feeling well. Saria finally walked back into the living room and sat next to Vash, taking her cup of coffee and resting back in her chair.  
  
"Saria, are you feeling alright?" asked Vash, leaning closer to his wife.  
  
"I'm feeling kind of sick," answered Saria, taking her hand from under Vash's and placing it on her forehead.  
  
"Maybe we should go home," suggested Vash.  
  
"I don't want you to go through the trouble," said Saria. "I'll be fine."  
  
"No, you two should leave," said Knives, placing his coffee cup on the coffee table and standing.  
  
"I said that I'll be fine," snapped Saria.  
  
"Saria, you look pale," said Vash. "We should go. I'm sorry Knives, but she isn't well."  
  
"I understand," said Knives, helping Saria out of her chair.  
  
Meryl removed the shawl from around her shoulders and threw it around Saria's for warmth. Vash pushed himself out of his chair and walked with Saria to the front door. Knives rushed past them and opened the door for the couple, walking them out onto the veranda.  
  
"Thanks for everything," said Vash, smiling at his brother and Meryl.  
  
"You two are welcome here anytime," said Knives, smiling back at his brother.  
  
"I hope you feel better," said Meryl.  
  
"Thank you," whispered Saria.  
  
"Call when you get home," commanded Knives. Vash nodded his head and walked to his car with Saria, driving away into the town.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Knives closed the door and pressed his palm against the smooth wooden surface, staring at the floor.  
  
"Do you think that she'll be okay?" asked Meryl.  
  
"Yeah, she will," answered Knives. "I'm going up to do some work. You get some rest."  
  
Knives turned on his heel and rushed up the stairs and into his office, leaving Meryl alone in the hallway.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Vash and Saria drove through the town and quickly approached their house, Vash sweating nervously. He turned off the engine and leaped out of the car, rushing to the passenger side and helping Saria out. They walked to the door and hurried inside and up the stairs into their room.  
  
Vash sat Saria on the bed and pulled her pajamas from the dresser drawer next to the bed. He tossed them to her and felt her forehead again to see how bad her fever was, if she even had one.  
  
"You get some rest," whispered Vash. "I'm going to run out and get you some soup and ginger ale. I won't be long."  
  
Vash kissed Saria on her forehead and rushed out of the room and down the stairs, running out of the house and leaving Saria to fend for herself.  
  
**A/N:** I made it to chapter 22!! Yayy!! The next two chapters are going to get more interesting, I promise, along with the rest of the story. Now, you have a job to do, and that is to review review review!!! 


	23. Without a Trace

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
**A/N:** Thank you guys for all of your reviews, oh, and I want to explain one thing to my friend Railynn, the roses. The roses are going to play an important role in a few chapters and they don't really have any association to Vash's dreams of Rem. Just thought I'd clear that up. Okay, on with chapter 23!!!  
  
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Knives sat alone in the living room while Meryl took her shower upstairs, pondering the events of today.  
  
_Saria felt fine before she went upstairs, and then she mysteriously became ill. She looks so familiar...where have I seen her before?  
_  
Knives got up from his chair and walked upstairs and into his office, turning on the light and walking to his desk. He paused midstep and noticed the disarray of papers on his desk from earlier. He rushed to his desk and began to sort through the mess of papers, deciding to get back to work.  
  
He unlocked his drawer and pulled out a large manila folder, pulling from the file a photo of Lorelei Baroque and her bio. There was nothing that really jumped out and bit Knives on the nose, so he decided to put his work aside and call to check on Vash and Saria.  
  
He picked up the phone and dialed Vash's number, waiting patiently until the answering machine clicked on. Knives sighed and left a message for Vash to call him, hanging up the phone and reluctantly returning to his work.  
  
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Vash quietly opened the door and shut it behind him, trying not to wake Saria. He placed the paper bags he carried on one of the side tables in the hallway and walked upstairs to check on Saria.  
  
He quietly opened the door and heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. He figured that she was feeling better and decided to pick up her dirty clothes off of the floor.  
  
He bent over and picked up Saria's button down blouse and crop pants off of the ground and stood upright to grab her coat that was draped over the chair next to the stand on which the phone and answering machine rested. As he whipped it around to drape it over his arm, many folded pieces of paper spilled from the inside pockets.  
  
He hurried to pick them up and paused when he came across a photo of Saria in the arms of a familiar looking man. As Vash studied the picture, he noticed that she was wearing an elegant white gown and the man was in a tux. What was this a picture from?  
  
Vash stood upright and studied the picture vigorously, trying to put a name with the face of the man in the picture. He felt writing on the back of the picture and turned it over to read the message on the back.  
  
He had only just turned the picture over when everything around him became dark and the sound of running water faded away. Vash had been knocked unconscious.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Knives sat in his office alone, hoping that Vash had gotten his message and was alright. He reached over and grabbed the phone again, dialing Vash's number. The phone did not ring.  
  
"We're sorry," chimed an operator, "the number you have dialed has been disconnected. Please try your call again later."  
  
Knives slammed the phone down and held his head in his hands.  
  
"Something is terribly wrong," he whispered to himself, ceasing all thought as Meryl entered the office. She immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong, seeing as it took a whole hell of a lot to make Millions Knives break down and cry.  
  
"Knives, talk to me," said Meryl, rushing across the room to comfort her fiancé.  
  
"They're gone," whispered Knives.  
  
"What do you...?"  
  
"Vash's line is disconnected and they are both gone." Knives cried into Meryl's chest as the phone rang. Meryl reached over her sobbing fiancé and answered the phone, continually cradling Knives in her arms.  
  
Knives ceased his sobbing as listened to Meryl's end of the conversation, his breath shortening as he took in her every word. Meryl hung up the phone and looked down at the fear stricken Knives.  
  
"That was Saria," said Meryl.  
  
"Is she alright?" asked Knives.  
  
"She's fine. She's at the police station and will be there through the night."  
  
"Where's Vash?"  
  
"He's missing. Saria said that she had just gotten out of the shower and she saw the house in disarray. She tried to call the police, but the line had been cut, so she became frightened and drove to the police station."  
  
"She's going to stay there tonight?"  
  
"Until they find Vash, she'll be there."  
  
"I can't believe it. She got him."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Lorelei Baroque."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I have a feeling it was her. Oh god, please don't take my brother from me!"  
  
Knives banged his fist on the desk and sobbed harder into Meryl's chest. Meryl ran her fingers through Knives' platinum blonde hair and prayed silently that Vash would be okay.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Saria shifted in the hardwood chair against the wall as she dried her eyes and listened as the police issued a search for Vash the Stampede. Sure, he was still a wanted man with the sixty billion double dollar bounty on his head, but when it came to reuniting a wife with her husband, they'd search for anyone, convict or not.  
  
"Ma'am" began the sheriff, "one of my men will escort you to your home, check it out, and stay with you through the night. Will you be alright?"  
  
"Yeah," choked Saria. "I'll be fine."  
  
She rose from her uncomfortable chair and walked to her car, unlocked it, and hopped inside. One of the sheriff's deputies followed her home and proceeded with his checking of the house. Saria waited in the living room downstairs until the deputy returned.  
  
"You should get some rest, ma'am," said the deputy. "I'll be up all night if you need anything."  
  
"Thank you," said Saria nodding her head and walking out of the living room and up the stairs to what was once her and Vash's room. She climbed into bed and hugged Vash's pillow, breathing in the sweet scent of his hair and closing her eyes, crying herself to sleep.  
  
**A/N:** Yes, I know, this chapter was painfully short, but I don't want to put too much in and ruin the story. The next chapter will be longer and will get more in depth with the situation at hand. Now that you've read, you must now review. If you don't, my good friend Legato (man this guy is sexy) will get inside of your mind and force you to review.  
  
Now, on to chapter 24! (Wow, I can't believe I made it this far!!) 


	24. Stealth in the Night

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
**A/N**: I've decided to post this chapter along with chapter 23 seeing as that chapter was short. Here we go...this is where all the fun starts...well, you get the picture. On with chapter 24!!!  
  
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Knives wandered through darkness, at a loss to where he was. Silence surrounded him and no path could be seen, and yet he plodded along, searching for something. What was it?  
  
He walked for about five minutes before he saw a bright light in the distance, breaking into a slow run, striving to reach the light. The light soon engulfed him and he stopped, noticing a figure a little way in front of him. Knives stepped forward and froze as a gunshot sounded in the distance. The figure fell forward and became motionless.  
  
Knives rushed forward, hoping the figure wasn't dead. As he neared the figure, he froze in the pool of blood and stared at the lifeless form in front of him. He knelt down in the blood and lifted the figure's head, screaming in fear as he realized that the figure was none other than Vash.  
  
Knives lifted his brother's lifeless body and held it close to his, running his fingers through Vash's spiked hair, taking notice of the slash marks across his face. Tears streamed down Knives' cheeks and fell upon Vash's bloody chest. Knives opened his eyes and noticed a lone rose next to Vash. What was that there?  
  
Footsteps could be heard in the distance, causing Knives to look up, only to see a blurred figure.  
  
"You're next," hissed the figure, raising the gun used to kill Vash at Knives.  
  
The figure pulled the trigger and a gunshot sounded.  
  
Knives woke up in a cold sweat, sitting upright in bed, fear taking over his body. Meryl shifted in bed and opened her eyes, sitting up next to Knives, worry filling her eyes.  
  
"Knives, what's wrong?" asked Meryl firmly, gently rubbing his back.  
  
"He died right before my eyes," whispered Knives. "Blood, innocent blood, all around me. I held his lifeless body. She killed me."  
  
"What are you...?"  
  
"She shot me damnit! Meryl, he's too young to...he's innocent. He doesn't deserve to die!"  
  
"Knives, I know that you're scared, but try and get some sleep." Meryl closed her eyes and lay back down, falling back into a deep sleep.  
  
Knives got out of bed and walked downstairs to get a glass of water. As he opened the door to the kitchen, he noticed that the front door was ajar. How did it get opened? One thought ran through his mind...  
  
SHIT!  
  
Knives ran back upstairs and into his and Meryl's room, grabbing his .45 long colt revolver out of the top drawer of his dresser and waking Meryl.  
  
"Knives, what are you...?" Meryl whined, rubbing her eyes vigorously.  
  
"Take my gun," demanded Knives, thrusting the gun at Meryl.  
  
"What the hell is going on?"  
  
"Someone's in the house. If anyone comes in here besides me, shoot them."  
  
Knives rushed from the room and across the hall to the spare bedroom, pulling a shotgun from the closet, loading it, and tiptoeing out of the room, keeping an eye out for any type of movement.  
  
He walked slowly across the hall and into his office, turning on the light and viewing his now disarrayed office. As he made his way to the phone, he heard the door downstairs slam shut, signaling the exit of the intruder. Knives rushed to the window of his office and saw a dark figure running away from the house.  
  
He turned and walked away from the window and sat down in his chair behind his desk, picking up the phone and calling the sheriff.  
  
"December Sheriff's Department," said a man on the other line. "Joseph Donahue speaking."  
  
"Joe, its Knives," said Knives, sorting through the mess of papers on his desk.  
  
"Knives, why are you calling this late at night?"  
  
"Someone broke into my house."  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine and so is Meryl."  
  
"Is anything missing?"  
  
"No, but my office has papers strewn everywhere."  
  
"I'll be right over."  
  
Knives hung up the phone and continued to sort through the mess of papers on his desk. Whoever was in here was looking for something in particular, but what papers were missing?  
  
He finished filing all of his papers back into their appropriate drawers, but he noticed something that was very suspicious. The drawer he had always kept locked was open and its contents were gone.  
  
Why would someone come in and take all of his notes on Lorelei Baroque?  
  
As he pondered this, he walked out of his office and into the bedroom where Meryl sat bolt upright with the gun Knives had given her pointed at him.  
  
"Relax, it's just me," said Knives, walking over to his fiancé.  
  
"Is the intruder gone?" asked Meryl.  
  
"Yes, the intruder is gone."  
  
"Is anything missing?"  
  
"Yes, there is something missing."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"All of my paperwork on Lorelei Baroque is gone. The person broke into my drawer and took all of my files, leaving a mess on my desk for me to clean up."  
  
"Well, at least that's the only thing that's missing. That paperwork is easily replaced, right?"  
  
"Yeah, but there is one thing that is still bothering me about this."  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"Why did the person that broke in take that file that I had? Why didn't they go for any of our valuables? Why all of my paperwork?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Well, Joe is coming down, so I'll be downstairs if you need me. You go ahead and get some rest."  
  
"Are you sure you'll be alright?"  
  
"You know me; of course I'll be okay."  
  
"Good night. I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Knives kissed Meryl on her cheek and walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He walked downstairs and into the living room to wait for Sheriff Joseph Donahue to arrive to investigate this breaking and entering case.  
  
Knives' thoughts were interrupted by the knocking at the front door. He rose from his chair in the living room and rushed into the hallway to answer the door to Joe Donahue.  
  
"Good evening Knives," said Donahue.  
  
"Evening Joe," replied Knives, allowing his friend into his house.  
  
"Did you find anything to be missing?"  
  
"Yeah, I did. Why don't we go up to my office and discuss this."  
  
"Fine with me."  
  
Knives led Donahue up into his office and sat down behind his desk, folding his hands and rocking back and forth in his chair.  
  
"What did you find to be missing?" asked Donahue.  
  
"All of my paperwork on Lorelei Baroque is gone. The intruder broke into my drawer that I keep it in and took all of the contents. They took everything down to the last scrap of paper."  
  
"Did you find any clues in here so that we can get a list of suspects?"  
  
"I didn't find anything when I cleared off my desk."  
  
"Are there any fingerprints on the handle of your desk?"  
  
"No, just mine, and they are fresh as well, so the person must have used gloves and dusted the surface when they entered the drawer."  
  
"Well, if you find anything, just give me a call."  
  
"Joe, have you found my brother yet?"  
  
"Not yet, but we're still searching. I'll call you as soon as we find out anything."  
  
"Thanks Joe. Have a good evening."  
  
"You too."  
  
Sheriff Joseph Donahue exited the office and left the house, leaving Knives alone once again. He rose from his chair and decided to go back to bed, suddenly stopping as he noticed something metal resting on the floor by the trash can.  
  
Knives grabbed a tissue from out of his desk drawer and picked up the piece of metal from the ground, examining it closely. This could be the major clue that could lead them to the intruder.  
  
**A/N:** Well, what do you think? The only way I'll ever know is if you give me feed back, so you know what to do. You see that drop down box in the bottom left corner of your screen? All you have to do is click go and poof! I'll know what your thoughts are!  
  
I'll get to work on chapter 25, so until then, I'll leave ya hanging!!! 


	25. Devastation

**Disclaimer:** Again, I don't own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
**A/N**: This chapter is going to jump from one character to another, and other chapters will possibly do this. The only reason for this is effect; otherwise I would divide the two characters into two separate chapters. Anyway, here is Chapter 25! By the way...thanks for all the reviews!  
  
-Bows down before loyal reviewers-  
  
-------------------------  
  
He was alone in a cold dark place.  
  
"Where am I?" he asked himself aloud, pushing himself up off of the ground and pacing around in the darkness. He could make out that he was in a cell of some sort, behind bars like a prisoner awaiting death.  
  
There was a small window high up, bars strewn across it to prevent escape. Tiny streams of moonlight danced upon the ground, slightly lighting the pitch black cell and shining upon Vash.  
  
He retreated to the corner of the cell and rested his back against it, closing his eyes and thinking.  
  
_Why am I here? Who brought me here? All I remember is looking at a picture and everything went black...where the hell am I?  
_  
He pushed himself off of the wall and slowly walked around again, trying to figure out where exactly he was, stopping abruptly when he kicked something with his boot, immediately realizing that it was a human body.  
  
He bent over and dragged the body into the moonlight that managed to reach the floor of the cell, screaming out in horror and stumbling backward as he saw that the body he had discovered was that of Millie Thompson Wolfwood.  
  
--------------------------  
  
Saria had awoken earlier than usual, feeling the pain of being alone. She really hadn't slept much, though, seeing as she had nightmares all night, screaming out a few times and having the deputy come check on her every once in a while.  
  
She rolled out of bed and reached for her robe, pulling it tightly around her shoulders, and walked to the window across the room, placing her hand on the pane and staring out into the distance at the dark clouds beginning to roll over planet Gunsmoke.  
  
_Vash, where are you?_  
  
Tears began falling from her crystal blue eyes again as she thought about her husband and the worst thing that could happen to him. Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.  
  
"Ma'am, may I come in?" asked the deputy outside of the room.  
  
"Yes," replied Saria, wiping the tears from her puffy red eyes. The door opened and the deputy stood in the doorway, staring at Saria.  
  
"I received a call from the sheriff," began the deputy, "and he asked me to bring you down to the station while they continue the search. Why don't you get dressed and come down when you're ready?"  
  
Saria nodded and he left, closing the door behind him. She walked across the room to the closet and pulled out an outfit, tossing it on the bed and slowly pulling her night clothes off, tossing them to the ground.  
  
She walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of panties and a bra, putting them on and walking back to the bed where her outfit lay, quietly thinking to herself.  
  
_Who took my husband away from me? Where is he? Oh, Vash, why couldn't I be there with you when this happened?_  
  
She quickly dressed herself and threw her shoes on, slowly walking out of the room and down the stairs, not bothering to put on any make-up. Who did she have to impress?  
  
"Are you ready?" asked the deputy, handing Saria her purse.  
  
"Yeah, I am," she replied, taking her purse from the deputy and following him out the door and to his car.  
  
The deputy opened the door for Saria and helped her into the car, walking around to the other side and hopping in, starting the engine and driving into town. They reached the station within five minutes and were greeted by the sheriff, a somber look upon his face.  
  
Saria leaped out of the car and rushed to the sheriff, worry spread across her pale face.  
  
"Any news or finding?" asked Saria as she stared up at the sheriff.  
  
"Not of your husband," began the sheriff, "but your brother-in-law is another story."  
  
"Oh God, please don't tell me he's missing too."  
  
"No, he's fine, but there was a break-in last night."  
  
"Do they know who did it?"  
  
"Not yet, but we've got out guys on the case. Why don't you come inside while we wait for our search team to return?" He led Saria inside the station and sat her down in a chair across from him.  
  
Saria sat for about ten minutes until anxiety got the better of her, causing her to get up and pace around the room. She paced for about a half of an hour until two deputies came through the door, grim expressions upon their faces.  
  
"Did you find anything?" asked the sheriff, rising from behind his desk and walking to Saria's side.  
  
"Yes," answered one of the deputies with a sigh.  
  
"What did you find?" asked the sheriff.  
  
"We found a gold ring," began the other deputy, "and about a half of an ile away we found this along with a single rose."  
  
The two deputies reached behind them and pulled a large body bag into the room. Tears welled in Saria's eyes as she viewed the body bag and swallowed the large lump in her throat.  
  
"Is that...him?" she asked.  
  
"We're afraid so ma'am," said the first deputy, unzipping the bag and revealing the mutilated body of Vash the Stampede.  
  
Saria froze and time stood still as she fell to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably as she stared at her husband's mutilated body and reality set in that Vash was gone, for good.  
  
---------------------------  
  
Vash shivered uncontrollably as he sat huddled in a corner of the cell he was in. The only clothing he had consisted of a thin t-shirt and an old pair of sweatpants; his boots were gone.  
  
He decided to inspect Millie again, but realized that she was gone when he reached the spot where he had found her.  
  
_Someone must have moved her...come to think of it, someone did come in here last night...but why move her...why is she in here anyway?  
_  
Vash retreated to the corner of the cell and thought back to his finding of her body last night.  
  
_Why is she here? Why would someone steal her corpse and keep it here? She looked so different when she was buried, full of bullet holes and mutilated..._  
  
He thought back to the funeral when he had seen her in her coffin. Wolfwood sat in the first pew of the church with Veronica, Damon, his son, Alexander, and Alexander's wife Alicia, crying and whispering over and over again, 'That's not her, it can't be.'  
  
Vash had walked up to the casket to pay his respects and viewed her body one last time...  
  
_She looked so different...shorter, mutilated...Oh shit! That wasn't her! They buried a look alike and Millie was left here to die...Oh God! What if my captor does the same to me?  
_  
Vash clasped his hands together and bowed his head, trying to remember a prayer that Wolfwood had taught him.  
  
_Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by Thy name..._  
  
----------------------  
  
**A/N**: A lot of drama, such a short chapter. Sorry guys, I'm trying my hardest to make them longer, but right now, I really can't think of anything to add to anything that I have written. Oh well. It's that time again folks, time to review, so if you're ready, on your computer screen there is a drop down box and a go button. Choosing either option 1, 2, 3, or 4, REVIEW NOW!  
  
In the meantime, Master Legato has demanded to I get to work on the next chapter, so until then, I'll be working the mines and trying to get chapter 26 posted. 


	26. He'll Never Know

**Disclaimer:** Let me think...nope; don't own Trigun or any of the characters.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Knives paced around his now organized office and thought about who the mysterious burglar could be. He knew the piece of evidence he found could pinpoint the person who did it, but he kept it hidden from the deputies when they came to search the house, deciding that he wanted to do some investigating of his own.  
  
As he continued to ponder this matter, his thoughts came to a screeching halt as the phone began to ring off the hook.  
  
"Hello?" he asked abruptly as he picked up the phone.  
  
"Knives?" whispered a voice on the other end.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"It's me, Saria."  
  
"Are you alright? You sound like something is wrong."  
  
"I...have some news..." she trailed off and Knives stopped breathing.  
  
"Did they find him?" asked Knives, swallowing a large lump in his throat.  
  
"They did find him," began Saria, "but..."  
  
"But, what?"  
  
"He's...he's...dead."  
  
Knives slammed down the phone and dropped his head into his hands as tears streamed down his cheeks. Screams of agony came along with he tears and thoughts of his innocent brother dead. He thought back on his dream he had had the night before, how his brother had been viciously killed for no reason, and screamed out in horror as he realized that his dream had come true.  
  
Meryl rushed into the room, eyes wide with worry as she viewed her sobbing fiancé from a distance.  
  
"Knives?" asked Meryl, slowly walking forward to where Knives sat sobbing.  
  
"He's gone," choked Knives.  
  
"What?"  
  
"VASH IS DEAD!" yelled Knives, pressing his face into Meryl's stomach, sobbing more violently than before. "My dream...was it a foreshadowing?"  
  
"What dream?"  
  
"I had a dream last night that I was wandering in darkness and then a bright light engulfed me and Vash was standing in front of me for only a few seconds before he was shot dead. Then the person turned the gun on me and said that I was next and shot at me. Oh God, why?"  
  
Meryl ran her fingers through Knives' hair as tears streamed down her cheeks at the thought of Vash being dead. Why Vash?  
  
Knives eased the pressure he was applying to Meryl's stomach, kissing it and gently massaging it.  
  
"My brother, gone," whispered Knives. "He'll never know."  
  
"We'll never be able to tell him," added Meryl. "He would have loved to see his little niece or nephew grow."  
  
"I'm calling Joe to get the full report of this event."  
  
Knives turned away from Meryl and picked up the phone, dialing the sheriff's office and waiting for his call to be answered.  
  
"December Sheriff's Department," answered a man on the other end. "Joseph Donahue speaking."  
  
"Joe, it's Knives again."  
  
"Knives, I'm terribly sorry about your brother."  
  
"Joe, tell me everything that has happened."  
  
"I'd much rather tell you in person. Do you think that you could come down here?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be right down."  
  
Knives hung up the phone and rose from his chair behind his desk, kissing Meryl on her cheek and walking out of the office.  
  
"Where are you going?" asked Meryl, turning to face her fiancé.  
  
"I'm going down to the station," answered Knives. "I'll be back in a little while. You stay here and keep all of the doors and windows locked, and if anything happens, grab my gun and call Joe."  
  
"I will. I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
Knives rushed down the stairs and out to his car, starting the engine and driving into town. Thunder sounded in the distance as black clouds continued to roll over the area. Knives turned on the radio and listened to the weather man on the air announce that there was a severe thunderstorm rolling over December.  
  
_How convenient...my brother has just been pronounced dead and a storm is brewing...just perfect...  
_  
Knives parked his car outside of the station and hopped out, locking all the doors and walking in to Joseph Donahue's office. He was alone with his deputies.  
  
"Joe, where's Saria?" asked Knives.  
  
"She went home," said Donahue, rising from his chair and walking over to Knives. "She couldn't bear to be around her dead husband. We found his gold ring first, and then about a half of an ile away we found him and something else."  
  
"What is this 'something else'?"  
  
"We found a rose lying next to his dead body."  
  
"A rose?"  
  
"Yes, that's correct."  
  
_Oh shit! My dream...Vash was shot to death and a rose was lying next to him...what does this all mean?  
_  
"Do you have any suspects?" asked Knives.  
  
"Well, we think that the person who killed Vash may be linked to the person who killed Millie," answered Donahue.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, if you remember, there was a rose found near the spot where we found Millie Wolfwood."  
  
"Joe, I want to see my brother."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure."  
  
Donahue sighed and walked Knives over to the bag which contained Vash's body, unzipping it to reveal the mutilated body of Vash the Stampede. Knives studied his brother's body and features, suddenly realizing that something wasn't right. As he studied his brother's body, he heard a distant voice inside of his head, one of desperation.  
  
_'Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by Thy name...'  
_  
_Vash, is that you?  
_  
"Joe," whispered Knives.  
  
"Yeah, I know," replied Donahue.  
  
"Joe, that's not him."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's not my brother."  
  
"It has to be. He's tall, wearing his infamous red coat, green eyes. This is Vash the Stampede."  
  
"No, it's not. His facial features are all wrong; there are no scars on his body. Joe, where did your guys find him at?"  
  
"They found him about twenty iles from Tonim Town."  
  
"I've got to get back to my fiancé. I'll call you later."  
  
"Drive safely."  
  
Knives ran out of the station and jumped into his car and started the engine, driving like a bat out of hell to get back to his house. He parked his car and jumped out, not bothering to take his keys out, bolting through the door and up the stairs to his office where he found Meryl.  
  
"Knives, did you see him?" asked Meryl.  
  
"That wasn't him," said Knives.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes I'm sure. There's no time, Meryl. Vash is alive and I know it."  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"I...when I was looking at his body at the station, I heard someone's voice in my head, and I'm pretty sure that it belonged to Vash. Meryl, give me my gun. I'm going to find my brother, but first, I'll call Saria and tell her my hypothesis."  
  
Knives picked up the phone and dialed Vash's number, relieved that phone line had been reconnected. The phone was not answered.  
  
"I guess she's out and about," said Knives, hanging up the phone. "Meryl, I want you to stay here and don't leave. If anything happens, there is another gun in the bedroom under the bed and I want you to use it if you have to, and then call Joe. I love you and I'll be back soon."  
  
"I love you too. Be careful, Knives. The person who did this may be around the area."  
  
"I know what I'm doing babe."  
  
Knives rushed out of his office, down the stairs, and out of the house, hopping into his car and starting the engine, beginning his pursuit of the person who kidnapped his brother. He prayed that Vash was still alive and that he would find him in time.  
  
**A/N:** Well, there you have it...chapter 26! What do you think will happen next? You'll find out soon...but not in the next chapter...hehe. Now, all you have to do is review and I'll pump out this next chapter!  
  
Until next time, I remain faithful to my loyal reviewers and I will get chapter 27 out!!! 


	27. Lorelei Baroque

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun...the only people I own are my own characters.  
  
**A/N:** This chapter is about Wolfwood (yayy Wolfwood!), so without further a do, here is chapter 27!!!  
  
----------------------------  
  
Wolfwood turned the key in the lock and opened the door to his quiet home, stepping inside and tossing his suitcase against the wall. He closed the door and turned on the lights, breathing in the sweet aroma the house always had. It was good to be back in the peace and quiet. He loved Veronica dearly, but the mayhem that now filled her house became too much for him to handle. He would finally be able to relax and take his mind off of everything in the world. Damn it was good to be home.  
  
Wolfwood kicked off his shoes and relaxed in his recliner, only to be disturbed by a knock on the door. He grunted and shuffled to the door, slowly opening it to the person who had disrupted his peace. He blinked his eyes against the sunlight and saw a tall cloaked figure standing on the porch.  
  
"May I help you?" asked Wolfwood cautiously.  
  
"Nicholas D. Wolfwood I presume?" asked the cloaked figure. Wolfwood couldn't figure out whether the person standing in front of him was male of female due to the muffled raspiness of the voice.  
  
"Who wants to know?"  
  
"Hm, don't be stupid Nicholas, just answer my question."  
  
"Yes, I am Wolfwood. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm the bearer of bad news."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You're friend, Vash the Stampede, is dead."  
  
"Vash is dead?"  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid so. He's with your wife now."  
  
"How do you know about Millie?"  
  
"I know more than you think I know Nicholas."  
  
"Get the hell out of here."  
  
"I'm afraid I can't do that Nicholas. I can't leave without something."  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"You."  
  
The cloaked figure pulled a gun out from under the material that covered their face and body and pointed it at Wolfwood. Wolfwood froze as sweat poured down his face and hit the hot wood of the porch underneath him.  
  
"Get your cross punisher," said the figure.  
  
"How do you know about that?" asked Wolfwood.  
  
"Don't ask questions and do as I say. Get the damned thing."  
  
Wolfwood turned and opened the closet next to the front door, pulling his cross punisher from behind some coats that were hanging inside and standing it next to him.  
  
"Why did you do it?" he asked.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Why did you kill my wife?"  
  
"She got in my way one day and I killed her, well, first I took her to the desert and then I killed the bitch."  
  
"There has to be more to it than that."  
  
"I'll tell you why you damned fool. I remember the day that she came home with you, claiming that she was in love. I was older than her, she referred to me as her big middle sister even though we weren't really sisters, and I knew what I wanted when I saw it, you.  
  
"I tried everything in my power, you know, love letters, candy, flowers, but you never looked my way. You always looked at her. I went insane and tried to kill my foster father, but I was unsuccessful and he kicked me out of the house and I was hell bent on revenge."  
  
"I remember you. You're..."  
  
"Lorelei Baroque at your service."  
  
Lorelei pulled down the hood that covered her face and revealed herself to Wolfwood. She was quite attractive really, with blonde hair and crystal blue eyes, eyes that seemed to stare straight through you.  
  
"Today's the day you die," she said, still pointing the gun at Wolfwood.  
  
"What have I done to you?"  
  
"Don't fucking play stupid you asshole. Shut up and get in the damned car."  
  
Lorelei pulled Wolfwood by the collar of his shirt and dragged him across the sand and threw him in the car, retreating to the house to get the cross punisher. Wolfwood sat up and tried to open the car door, but he was knocked unconscious by another person riding in the car.  
  
He fell into a dark abyss, a place of nothingness.  
  
------------------------------  
  
Wolfwood opened his eyes and strained against the darkness, slowly realizing that he was standing, but something was wrong. He tried to pull his arms down to his side, but he immediately realized that he was shackled to the ceiling. He could feel that Lorelei was close by and felt that she was making sure that the chains were secure.  
  
She looked at Wolfwood and smiled an evil smile.  
  
"What have you done to me?" asked Wolfwood.  
  
"Simple really," she replied. "You're shackled to the ceiling for a slow and agonizing death, asphyxiation I think they call it?"  
  
Lorelei laughed her evil laugh and turned her attention to something in the corner of the cell behind Wolfwood, a bigger smile spreading across her face.  
  
"Sleeping Vash?" she asked, walking behind Wolfwood to the man curled up in a ball in the corner of the cell. She kicked him in the side, but he remained motionless. She began to laugh again, this time filled with satisfaction. She walked back to Wolfwood and rubbed her hand along his face.  
  
"You're friend really is dead Wolfwood," she cooed.  
  
"You told me that earlier."  
  
"Let me explain something to you. The man they found was claimed to be Vash the Stampede, when, in reality, Vash was in here slowly dying."  
  
"You mean to tell me that you kidnapped Vash, brought him here, placed a look alike in the desert, and made everyone think that he was dead?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"So, wait, did you do the same to...?"  
  
"Yes, I did the same to your wife."  
  
"You're an evil malicious bitch!"  
  
"I must be going now, but before I leave, I would like to leave you with a present."  
  
Lorelei pulled a key out of her pocket and dropped it on the ground, smiling at Wolfwood and laughing again.  
  
"That is the key to your freedom from these shackles," she said. "Oh, and by the way, your cross punisher is in the cell across from you, but you won't be needing it. I'll be back soon to make sure you're dead." Lorelei opened the cell and walked out, leaving Wolfwood alone in the darkness of the cell.  
  
Wolfwood struggled to loosen the chains and possibly free them from the ceiling, but he was unsuccessful. All the while, he thought about death and how it had consumed two of the closest people to him. He began to cry uncontrollably and progressively grew louder. He figured that no one could hear him, so he began to curse Lorelei's name and damn her to Hell. All hope of survival was lost and he gave up on life.  
  
Nicholas D. Wolfwood had lost his will to live.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"Wolfwood?" cried Vash. "Where are you? Why are you crying?"  
  
Vash was jolted out of his sleep by screams of agony and tears of pain. He looked around him and tried to stand up, grabbing his back and trying to soothe a searing pain that had just shot up his back. He thought he had felt someone kick him hard in the back.  
  
He pushed himself up off of the ground and turned around, seeing a dark figure in the cell with him. He approached the figure carefully, reaching for his gun and realizing it wasn't there. When he was face to face with the figure, he realized who it was immediately and leaped with excitement.  
  
"Wolfwood?" he asked calmly.  
  
Wolfwood opened his eyes and saw Vash standing in front of him. His eyes widened as he examined the blonde gunman who was, just a few minutes ago, pronounced dead.  
  
"Vash?" he asked.  
  
"I heard you crying in my dreams," said Vash. "I was worried about you. Who brought you here?"  
  
"Lorelei Baroque brought me here. She came to my house, told me that you were dead, threw me into a car, someone knocked me out, and here I am."  
  
"People think that I'm dead?"  
  
"That's what she told me needle noggin. She did the same to you as she did to Millie from what she told me. She thinks that you really are dead now, seeing as you didn't respond when she kicked you."  
  
"Damn, no wonder my back hurts. Hey, preacher man, how can I free you?"  
  
"She left the key in here. It's somewhere by my feet."  
  
Vash dropped to the ground and began feeling around for the key, successfully finding it and returning to his full height and freeing his friend. Wolfwood rubbed his wrists vigorously as he sat on the cold ground next to his friend.  
  
"What do we do now?" asked Wolfwood, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting up.  
  
"I don't know," answered Vash.  
  
"The bitch locked my cross punisher in the cell across from me. If we could find a way out of here..."  
  
"I'll get you two out," said a familiar voice from the cell across from them.  
  
Wolfwood froze and allowed his cigarette to drop to the ground as the person across the cell fired a weapon and opened the cell door. The thing that was fired looked strangely like one of the crosses from Millie's stun gun.  
  
_Millie, is that really you? Are you really...alive?  
_  
**A/N:** Well how do you like that? Millie isn't dead after all! Well, give me some feedback and tell me how you liked this chapter. Personally, I think it came out very well, considering that I've been so busy with other things right now.  
  
Well, it's that time again, and you know what to do. Please review!!! 


	28. Out of Time

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Trigun or any of the characters of Trigun.  
  
**A/N:** Wow...I can't believe I'm actually writing chapter 28! I didn't think that I would actually make it this far. Anyways, the plot has thickened and it will continue to thicken in this chapter, I hope. This is the first chapter that I have not fully written out, so it's impromptu. Thanks for all the reviews! Now, on with chapter 28!  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Knives drove slowly through Tonim Town, thinking of any abandoned places that Vash could be in. He sighed to himself as he remembered that Tonim Town had been deserted years ago.  
  
_Think, Knives think...where could Vash be?  
_  
He slowed the car down and looked around him, trying to remember something about this town that made it so unique.  
  
_What is it about this town that made it so unique? What is...I remember now! This town was involved with the Fondrique Caravan. There should be an old cargo hold around here somewhere...  
_  
Knives floored his car and sped through the deserted town, desperately trying to find an old cargo hold somewhere in the town, but he was unsuccessful. He again slowed his car and thought about the way the town was built.  
  
There were many buildings scattered across a two hundred ile radius, but some major factories and refineries were located on the outskirts of the town. That was it.  
  
Knives again floored his car and drove out of the heart of Tonim Town and to the outskirts, his heart pounding as he found the building he had been looking for; the old warehouse. Again he slowed his car, this time parking, and pulled his gun out from underneath his seat. He slowly opened the door and stepped out of the car, shutting the door and looking around, spotting another car in the distance.  
  
_Someone's here...maybe it's her..._  
  
Knives watched as a tall woman emerged from the warehouse, gripping his gun tighter and walking slowly towards her. The woman seemed to take notice of him and froze in place, staring at Knives as he approached her, leaving a 2 yar distance between them.  
  
"It's all over now," said Knives, raising his gun and aiming at the woman.  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked the woman, smirking and placing a hand on her hip.  
  
"You left so many clues: the stealing of some information of mine, the way my brother disappeared without any sign of a struggle. Should I go on Saria, or should I say Lorelei?"  
  
"You're not as dumb as I thought you were. Was that all that lead you to me?"  
  
"Not quite. The phone call you made telling me that Vash was dead sounded completely fake and I saw right through it. I also knew that you had broken into my house the night of the break in because of the fact that the lock on the door wasn't broken and I knew that Vash had a key to my house. Earlier that day, when I mentioned that I was searching for Lorelei Baroque with my fiancé, you tensed up and began to ask questions about where I work at.  
  
"I also found something of yours at the scene of the crime; your wedding band. I came to the conclusion that you had used gloves and taken your rings on, but when you heard me walking through the house, you panicked and ran away. I figured you out right from the beginning."  
  
"You're right, Knives. I used your brother for a cover all of this time. I had been told that he was naïve and would be blinded by love, so when he asked me to marry him, I arranged our wedding, which was a complete fluke."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Well, a good friend of mine, Midvalley, changed his image and posed as a priest, and, quote unquote, married us in Japanese, the one language that Vash did not understand. He thought that we took wedding vows when all we said were some lame phrases in Japanese. It's a shame, though. He'll never know."  
  
"What are you...?"  
  
"I'm afraid that you are out of time my friend. Your brother is dead inside."  
  
"That's what you think."  
  
Lorelei turned around and dropped her jaw in horror as she saw Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood standing side by side with the cross punisher behind them. Wolfwood smoked one of his crooked cigarettes while aiming one of his many guns at Lorelei while Vash stared down the woman in front of him. Lorelei laughed.  
  
"Are you all planning on killing me?" she asked, pulling Vash's gun out from underneath her cloak. Knives raised his gun and prepared to fire, only to be thrown across the sand next to Vash by an unseen force, causing his gun to fire at the warehouse. Lorelei laughed again.  
  
"You fools," she scoffed. "You all can't defeat us."  
  
"Who's 'us'?" asked Vash.  
  
"My husband and I."  
  
"I'm your husband."  
  
"Au contraire darling, didn't you pay any attention to what language we were married in? I had Midvalley, yes, Midvalley, marry us in Japanese, seeing as it is one of the only languages that you don't understand. We weren't married, Vash. Our vows were just some mumbo jumbo bull shit phrases. They meant nothing."  
  
"Then, who are you married to?"  
  
"She's married to me."  
  
Vash remained silent as a familiar man stepped up to Lorelei's side, placing a hand on her arm. Vash studied the man and widened his eyes in horror as he remembered seeing him in the picture with Lorelei. The man had a bandage wrapped around his head and stood taller than Lorelei, wearing a white coat with a black turtle neck and brown slacks underneath. Vash immediately knew who he was.  
  
"This is my husband," said Lorelei. "Legato Bluesummers."  
  
Legato moved from behind Lorelei and stood by her side, smirking at the trio in front of him. Knives studied Legato diligently, remembering the night he had seen him in the diner and thought nothing of it, thinking that he was another man.  
  
_How could a man who had been shot straight through the head live?  
_  
"I'll tell you, Master," said Legato, bowing before Knives. "Or should I call you by your name seeing as I was freed by your incessant brother's bullet to my head? Yes, your brother did indeed shoot me, but by some luck, this beautiful woman found me and somehow healed me in my most critical condition.  
  
"She removed the bullet and tried to fix what damage had been done, and luckily there wasn't anything too severe that couldn't be fixed. I found out through Midvalley, whom completely faked his death, that Nicholas D. Wolfwood had been healed by you and I became furious. I then longed for revenge against you. You left me for dead and healed a man whom you hated with everything that you had. So, Lorelei and I decided to make him suffer.  
  
"Sure, she had her reasons for doing what she did to Millie Thompson, but we both did it out of revenge against you. So what are you going to do now? Are you going to kill us?"  
  
Knives placed his finger on the trigger of his gun once more, but something was wrong. He couldn't pull the trigger. Legato laughed as he tossed Knives once again into the air and against the warehouse.  
  
"It's pointless to try and shoot me," scoffed Legato, walking closer to Vash and Wolfwood, both ready to kill Legato and Lorelei. "All of you will be dead in a matter of moments, but first, let's have some fun, shall we...what the hell was that?"  
  
Legato was forced backwards and slid across the sand to where Lorelei stood, pain searing through his left arm. He attempted to kill the person whom had shot him with his telekinesis, but he had lost the ability to do so.  
  
"Who the hell just shot me?!" yelled Legato, pulling the strange object off of his arm.  
  
"I did."  
  
A woman emerged from the warehouse and walked past Vash and Wolfwood, holding a strange type of gun at her side. The woman had long brown hair, bright blue eyes, and was almost as tall as Vash. Lorelei froze and stared at the woman in front of her.  
  
"How is this possible?" she asked, aiming Vash's gun at the woman. "How are you alive? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD MILLIE THOMPSON!"  
  
"Why don't you ask your husband?" retorted Millie.  
  
"What the hell is she talking about Legato?"  
  
"I..." said Legato, trailing off, shame in his voice.  
  
"Answer me now damnit!"  
  
"I kept her alive," answered Legato.  
  
"Why the hell did you do that?"  
  
"I...couldn't let her die. Lorelei, when my awful parents died and I was fending for myself out on the streets, I was taken in by a family who called me their own despite my oddities. This family was the Thompson family. They cared for me until I was old enough to go out on my own. Millie was like my sister, and, actually she is."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, I had a little sister when I was with my parents. She was the apple of their eye and I loved her, despite how well she was treated. When they died, she was put up for adoption and I just ran away. It was fate that brought us back together those years ago. Lorelei, I couldn't kill my own sister!" "You fucking told me that you hated humans!"  
  
"I do Lorelei, but I wasn't going to kill my own sister!"  
  
"Everyone just shut up!" yelled Millie, raising her gun and aiming at Lorelei and Legato. "I don't care what either of you have to say. You were both wrong and you both kept me from my children. I'm so mad I could...I could..."  
  
"Kill them?" interjected Wolfwood, snapping the straps that bound the cloth on his cross punisher.  
  
"I'm afraid that the both of you are 'out of time' as Lorelei so nicely put it," said Knives, raising his gun once more.  
  
"Not if I can help it," sneered Lorelei, shooting at Vash.  
  
Vash rolled out of the way and shot at Lorelei with his concealed gun, knocking his gun out of her hands and onto the ground. Knives shot Lorelei in the side and aimed at Legato, ready to shoot him.  
  
Wolfwood aimed his punisher at Legato and pulled the trigger, shooting him in the heart. Legato fell into a bloody heap on the sand, clutching his heart and gasping for air. Lorelei grabbed Legato's arm and dropped down to his side, pulling a gun from under her cloak and aiming at Wolfwood.  
  
"You bastard!" she yelled, pulling the trigger and shooting Wolfwood in the arm.  
  
"Lorelei..." Legato trailed off and what was left of his torn and tattered soul left him, leaving him dead on the sand. Lorelei's face drained of all color as she stared at the lifeless heap that was Legato Bluesummers.  
  
"You killed him," whispered Lorelei, beating her fists on Legato's dead body and sobbing.  
  
"Wow, you actually have compassion," said Vash, approaching Lorelei and aiming his gun at her head.  
  
"Please Vash, have some mercy," she pleaded. "Don't kill me. I'm with child!"  
  
"How do I know that that isn't a lie? You told me that you were infertile."  
  
"I lied."  
  
"I'm sick of all of your lies Lorelei. Tell me, did you lie about Rem too?"  
  
"Yes, I did. I knew that if I told you that I had a past with her you would fall right into my trap."  
  
"I should have figured you out when you first told me that. Rem lived over a hundred years ago and there would have been no possible way that you could have lived with her and still be alive and young today."  
  
"Please give me a chance."  
  
"I'VE HEARD ENOUGH!"  
  
Vash pushed his gun harder against Lorelei's forehead as she sobbed and pleaded for her life, finding it hard to pull the trigger. He would feel terrible about killing her if she were indeed with child, but he couldn't let her run free, not after everything that she has done.  
  
Vash closed his eyes as he lowered his gun and turned around, staring at the ground as tears began to roll down his cheeks.  
  
_I can't do it...I know that I should, but it's wrong to take the life of another...Rem, help...  
  
Vash, do it...end it now...  
_  
Vash looked up at Knives and nodded, turning around once again and facing Lorelei, kicking the gun out of her hand and thrusting his once again to her forehead. Lorelei closed her eyes and ceased her sobbing, preparing for her demise.  
  
"I know that you hate me," she whispered. "But, I did love you."  
  
"Don't toy with me anymore," said Vash through clenched teeth.  
  
"We could have been great if you wouldn't have..."  
  
Vash pulled the trigger and shot Lorelei through the head, instantly killing her. Lorelei's lifeless body fell into a bloody heap next to Legato and Vash turned away, pushing his glasses up his nose and walking towards Knives, Wolfwood, and Millie.  
  
"I shouldn't have killed her," whispered Vash. "But, I had no other alternative."  
  
"This whole ordeal is over," said Knives, throwing his arm around his brother's neck. "Let's go home."  
  
Vash nodded and the four of them walked to Knives' car and piled in, driving away from Tonim Town and back to December, leaving behind the lifeless forms of Lorelei and Legato Bluesummers.  
  
**A/N:** Sorry that chapter took so long...like I said, it wasn't written out, so it may not be as well written as the others and it took longer to type. Now, it's time to review. Oh, and I will be making one last chapter, an epilogue type chapter. Will update again soon...I promise!!! One more thing...sorry about the OOCness of Legato and Vash at some parts of the chapter, but I had to do it to make it flow! Don't flame me please!!! 


	29. Epilogue: Eden

**Disclaimer**: For the final time, don't own Trigun and never will.

----------------------------

-One year later-  
  
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MILLIE!"  
  
Veronica smiled as she cut her daughter's birthday cake into tiny portions for everyone and watched as her mother gently tossed Millie up into the air and caught her, wiping away a tear as she placed the slices of cake onto plates.  
  
Wolfwood wrapped his arms around his wife's waist as she cradled tiny Millie in her arms, looking around at all the happy faces that surrounded him and remembering the day that he, Vash, and Knives returned here with Millie...  
  
------------------------------  
  
Wolfwood stepped out of the car and walked around to help his wife out, wrapping his arms around her and crying. Millie followed suit.  
  
"Millie, I'm so glad that you're okay," choked Wolfwood, kissing his wife tenderly.  
  
"Darling, I'm glad to see that you're okay," she responded. "I was worried about you all this time."  
  
Wolfwood smiled at Millie and took her arm in his, walking up to the door and ringing the doorbell, breathing in heavily and stepping aside; the doorknob turned and the door opened. Veronica stood in the doorway, dropping a basket of clothes onto the ground and gasping as she stared at the woman in front of her, tears filling her eyes.  
  
"M-mom?" she stammered, slowly stepping forward.  
  
"Yes, darling," whispered Millie, tears filling her eyes as well. "It's me."  
  
Veronica wrapped her arms around the woman in front of her and began to cry harder as she realized that this woman was indeed her mother. Millie hugged her daughter tightly as tears stung her eyes, never wanting to let go again.  
  
Damon stepped outside to see what all the commotion was about, nearly dropping Little Millie as he stared at his mother-in-law, who was supposedly dead, hugging his wife. Millie looked up at him and smiled, releasing her daughter and walking towards Damon and the baby.  
  
"M-miss Millie," stammered Damon, "you're alive?"  
  
"Looks like it!" exclaimed Millie.  
  
"Mom, I want you to meet someone," whispered Veronica, taking Little Millie out of Damon's arms and turning to face her mother. "This is Millie Nichole Bonaire, your granddaughter."  
  
Millie clapped her hands together in joy as she took the sleeping baby from Veronica's arms and cradled her in her own.  
  
"Hi Millie," whispered Millie. "I'm your grandmother."  
  
Wolfwood walked forward and stood by his wife's side, holding back tears as he realized that his family was back together once again.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
"Veronica we're here!" exclaimed an unfamiliar voice, bringing Wolfwood from his thoughts. He turned his head and dropped his jaw as he viewed a man whom he had not seen in year. The man was tall, had black hair with ice blue eyes and stood tall; the man was Wolfwood and Millie's son, Alexander.  
  
Alexander hugged Veronica and froze as he viewed the tall brown haired woman that stood behind his sister. He released Veronica and walked toward the woman, placing a hand to her cheek and gasping.  
  
"Is it really you?" he asked as Millie grabbed his hand and held it in hers.  
  
"Yes, it's me," replied Millie as her son embraced her tightly, freely crying as he held is mother in his arms, in shock that he was actually in her arms again.  
  
"How?" he asked, not bothering to release Millie.  
  
"I had an angel watching over me," whispered Millie as she pulled away from her son and wiped away his tears. "Don't cry anymore."  
  
"I won't. I'm just so happy to see you again."  
  
Alexander smiled and turned to Wolfwood, hugging him tightly and returning to his wife's side, gently rubbing her stomach and smiling. Wolfwood smiled and wrapped an arm around Millie's waist as he watched Alexander with excitement, immediately realizing that there would be another grandchild soon.  
  
"Hey Alex," said Wolfwood, smiling at his son.  
  
"Yeah Dad?" he asked.  
  
"Do you have something you would like to share with us?"  
  
"Yeah, actually I do. Mom, Dad, Veronica, Damon, I have some news. Stephanie and I are going to have a baby."  
  
Veronica squealed with delight and ran to hug her brother and her sister-in- law. Millie's eyes filled with tears and Wolfwood just smiled, sighing to himself and thinking of how wonderful life would be from now on.  
  
He had finally found his Eden and it was here with his family.  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
Vash walked back outside and smiled as he heard the news of his other godchild's pregnancy, quietly walking up behind him and placing a hand on his shoulder. Alexander turned around and dropped his jaw as he stared his uncle in the face for the first time in months.  
  
"When did you get here Uncle Vash?" asked Alexander, hugging him tightly.  
  
"I've been here for quite a while," replied Vash. "I just called Meryl and Knives to make sure that they were on their way here. Congratulations on your baby."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Alexander released Vash from his embrace and proceeded to the table with his wife, sitting down and taking Little Millie from his mother's arms.  
  
"Sorry we're late!" exclaimed a masculine voice from behind. Vash turned around and saw his brother standing in the doorway carrying his and Meryl's child not older than a few months. Vash rushed up and hugged his brother and kissed his niece on her forehead, noticing Meryl rushing in from behind.  
  
Wolfwood smiled and walked towards Knives, Millie following close behind.  
  
"What took the two of you so long?" asked Vash.  
  
"Well, we had to get Sophia's things together before we came and we woke up late and today was just a disaster," said Meryl, hugging Vash as she gasped for air.  
  
"Well, we're glad that the two of you could make it," said Wolfwood, hugging Meryl and rubbing Sophia's tiny head.  
  
"Vash, would you mind taking Sophia for a few minutes?" asked Knives.  
  
"Sure," said Vash, taking Sophia out of her father's arms and cradling her in his, thinking back to when he first saw her beautiful face.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Knives sat with his hands folded in the long hallway of the hospital, sweat pouring down his face as he anticipated the news of his wife, pissed off that they wouldn't allow him to stay in the room with her. He got up from the stiff chair and began pacing again, running his long fingers through his platinum blonde hair and sighing heavily.  
  
Vash returned with two Styrofoam cups filled with steaming coffee, handing his nervous brother his cup and sitting in the chair that had belonged to Knives. He sipped his coffee slowly as he studied his brother's pensive mood.  
  
"Knives, please relax," said Vash, staring at his brother.  
  
"Vash, I can't relax," said Knives.  
  
"She'll be fine."  
  
"I should be in there with her Vash. That's my wife giving birth to my child!"  
  
Knives sat down next to Vash and slowly sipped his coffee, somewhat relaxing and releasing some of the tension in his body. He banged his head against the wall behind him as two people entered the hallway from the elevators to his left.  
  
"Did she have the baby yet?" asked the woman, rushing to Knives' side.  
  
"No, Millie, she did not have the baby yet," said Knives, taking another sip of his coffee.  
  
"Any news at all?" asked Wolfwood, sitting down next to Vash.  
  
"As far as we know, she's still giving birth," said Vash, finishing his coffee and crumpling the Styrofoam cup in his hand, tossing it into the waste basket across the hall.  
  
The four of them sat in the silent hallway for about an hour until a doctor appeared from Meryl's room, removing his gloves and stopping in front of Knives. Knives rose from his seat as sweat began to pour down his face, staring the doctor in the eyes.  
  
"Well?" asked Knives.  
  
"Congratulations," began the doctor, "it's a girl."  
  
Knives smiled brightly from ear to ear as he shook the doctor's hand vigorously, rushing down the hall and into Meryl's room, smiling at his wife and newborn daughter. Meryl turned her head towards Knives and smiled, motioning for him to come over and look at their newborn daughter.  
  
Vash, Millie, and Wolfwood followed Knives into the room and stood by the doorway, watching as the happy couple welcomed their newborn child into the world.  
  
"What should we name her?" asked Knives, stroking his daughter's head.  
  
"I've always liked the name Sophia," said Meryl, looking up at Knives for approval.  
  
"Sophia it is," said Knives. "Sophia Genee Knives."  
  
"I love it," said Meryl. "Hi Sophia, I'm your mommy."  
  
"And I'm your daddy," said Knives, grabbing Sophia's tiny hand and holding it in his.  
  
Meryl looked over at her band of friends and motioned for them to come over and welcome Sophia into the world. Millie and Wolfwood walked over the bedside hand in hand and kissed Sophia on her head.  
  
"Hi Sophia," whispered Millie. "I'm your Aunt Millie."  
  
"And I'm your Uncle Nick," whispered Wolfwood.  
  
Vash slowly walked to the bedside and stood by his brother, smiling at his newborn niece and rubbing her forehead with his gentle hand.  
  
"Hi Sophia," he whispered. "I'm your Uncle Vash."  
  
"Would you like to hold her?" asked Meryl, pushing Sophia closer to Vash.  
  
"Don't you think that Knives should be the first one besides you to hold her?" asked Vash, taking a step back.  
  
"Take her Vash," said Knives. "I'll have plenty of opportunities to hold her."  
  
Vash gently lifted Sophia out of Meryl's arms and cradled her in his, staring into her icy blue eyes and taking in her features. She had her father's eyes and hair, but she had her mother's soft facial features. She was beautiful in every way and she was born into a wonderful family.  
  
Vash sighed to himself as he looked around at the people surrounding him and back down at Sophia and smiled. He didn't need some girl to make him happy, he just needed to love and support of his family and close friends.  
  
He sighed to himself as he had finally found what he had been searching for all of these years. He had truly found his place of peace and serenity. He had found his Eden and it was here with his family and friends.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
Vash stared at the scene before him, smiling to himself and thinking of how wonderful it was to have everyone together again. Everything was back to normal and there was nothing but peaceful days ahead for Vash the Stampede.  
  
He had found his Eden.  
  
**A/N**: Well, this is the end of the fic...yayy it's finally complete! I had two versions of this chapter and then I decided to combine them...so now it's that time, the final time, for you to review this fic of mine.  
  
Be on the lookout for two of my new fics circulating ff.net and also a new one that will be posted soon. Please review!


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